Our Heritage Out on Display

This weekend the UK celebrates its annual Heritage Open Days, its 20^th anniversary, in fact. Lots of buildings and locations around the country are open fee to the public. Some of them only ever open on these two days because they are private stately homes, so it’s a great opportunity for people to explore hidden treasures. Alas, you those who live too far away to visit them that’s an opportunity they have to forget. But there may be another way to see amazing objects.

In my previous Heritage Spotlights I’ve looked at memorials, archives and museums. Today I’m looking at something from the comfort of my own home.

On my annual culture trip down to London last year my brother and I popped in to the British Museum. They had produced a guide to some of their lgbt-related exhibit. I mentioned that and another museum guide in a previous post.

This year I hope to go to more museums to spot lgbt exhibits, and will try to get to the Victoria ad Albert (V&A) Museum. They produced a guide to some of their own lgbt-related exhibits this summer for London Pride, like the British Museum before them. Their guide was snapped up quickly and I won’t be able to go around with one in my hand.

Fortunately for me, and for everyone else, the V&A has just launched a new strand to their blog. It’s called “Out on Display”, the same name as their guide. The blog is written by Dawn Hoskin, an assistant curator at the museum and Co-Chair of its lgbt group.

But I’m sure you’d like to have a look for yourself here.

Now we don’t have to go to the museum to learn about the items in their collections, and we can keep up to date on new research.

For several years the V&A, and several other museums in the UK, have celebrated out LGBT History Month in February with special events and exhibitions, and the V&A has also produced other lgbt events throughout the year.

Its more than 15 years since I went to the V&A with my sister, and I am looking forward to the trip this year.