OVERVIEW & MISSION
Founded in 1985, the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender (GLBT) Historical Society is recognized internationally as a leader in the field of LGBTQ public history. Our operations are centered around two sites: our GLBT Historical Society Museum, located since 2011 in the heart of San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood; and our Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives and Research Center, open to researchers in the Mid-Market district.
Our Mission
The GLBT Historical Society collects, preserves, exhibits and makes accessible to the public materials and knowledge to support and promote understanding of LGBTQ history, culture and arts in all their diversity.
Our Vision
We envision a world in which LGBTQ people are appreciated and celebrated by one another in all their diversity and by all people for their contributions to history and culture.
We envision a world in which everyone can learn about LGBTQ history as a vital means for promoting civic engagement, social justice, and political change.
We envision a world in which LGBTQ people find acceptance, strength, and pride in acknowledging their heritage and in sharing it with society as a whole.
Our Values
We believe that knowledge of our diverse LGBTQ past is an invaluable resource for understanding the challenges of the present and inspiring dreams for a future of greater social justice.
We appreciate the importance of LGBTQ history for building community and promoting connection.
We support debate, dialogue, and discussion about the LGBTQ past as a way to educate, inspire, and empower LGBTQ people and our allies in building our future.
Photo: Picketing the federal building in San Francisco, ca. 1966; photograph by Henri Leleu, Henri Leleu Papers (1997-13), GLBT Historical Society.