LGBTQ+ Heritage Sites & Landmarks — US Directory

I visited this space last night and was really let down by what I saw. As a history museum, it fails on many levels. So many aspects of our history are under represented, such as the cafeteria riots, the uprising at a New York bar, and the impact of a health crisis. A museum such as this should feel obligated to present the entirety of queer history, and really question the educational value of its exhibits. Gay youth and the uneducated deserve more information, not a series of old matchbooks, a box of sex toys, and an old map of cruising locations. Now that the doors are open it is time for this place to reach out to larger institutions to beef up its collection and make it more meaningful. I was interested in the slideshow of historic candid photos and the oral histories, but again these things need to be expanded beyond a single screen and one pair of headphones. A great deal more information is needed on why the objects they have displayed are there. Congrats on existing, but I learned almost nothing from my experience here and honestly I found it to be a bit embarrassing.

Anyone visiting Asheville for the first time should definitely check this out; it's one of the city's top landmarks. The gardens are my personal highlight.