Schwules Museum Berlin
The
Schwules Museum Berlin
editThe Schwules Museum in Berlin, founded on December 6, 1985, is a central competence center for the research, preservation, and presentation of the culture and history of queer people. Originally conceived to provide a home for the history and culture of gay men and their emancipation movement, the museum has evolved over the years and now encompasses a wide range of sexual and gender identities, including lesbian, transgender, bisexual, and queer life stories.
Key Products and Services
edit- Exhibitions and Events: The museum regularly presents exhibitions that depict the diversity of queer life stories and themes. These include permanent exhibitions such as “Self-Awareness and Persistence. 200 Years of Gay History” as well as changing special exhibitions[1][2][3].
- Archival Work and Library: The museum has an extensive reference library and a climate-controlled archive that are accessible for research and inquiry. These collections include artistic works, life testimonies, and documents of the queer movement[1][2][3].
- Interdisciplinary Work: The museum works interdisciplinary and knowledge-democratically by collecting and presenting all kinds of knowledge – artistic, activist, practical, or scientific. It creates innovative, queer or queering museum formats that enable social interactions[2][3].
Mission and Values
editThe main mission of the Schwules Museum is to strengthen the individual and collective self-awareness and agency of queer people. It aims to establish queer culture and history as important elements of collective memory and to promote the recognition of queer life concepts in the majority society. The museum stands against discrimination and exclusion and strives for equality in its own programming and collection policies[2][3].
Sustainability Goals and Initiatives
editThe Schwules Museum pursues several sustainability goals and initiatives:
- Inclusivity and Diversity: The museum strives to change its structures and practices so that everyone, especially those particularly affected by discrimination, feels invited – whether as visitors, cooperation partners, or employees[2][3].
- Fair Narratives: It aims to develop new, fairer narratives of queer history and culture that present diverse experiences, stories, struggles, and perspectives in their diversity and sometimes also in their contradictions[2][3].
- Civil Society Engagement: The museum remains a civil society project, supported by the voluntary commitment of many employees and has a special connection to the queer communities[2][3].
Thus, the Schwules Museum is not only a place of remembrance and learning but also a vibrant space for self-understanding, exchange, and encounters, actively working towards shaping a more inclusive and tolerant society.