Knowledge exchange: Queering Historic Houses
Event information
Date: 4 December
Time: 10:30 – 12:30
Organiser: Museums Galleries Scotland
Venue: Online
How can house museums represent diverse stories? Where and how do we find queer narratives in historic sites, especially when they often appear to be frozen in time with strong identities. What needs to be included to make it relevant and engaging for audiences today?
The Georgian House, a National Trust for Scotland property, has been researching the site’s connection to LGBTQ+ history and exploring how to engage visitors in “alternative” readings of the collection. This talk will apply the concept of “queer possibility” to a traditional historic site, in which reinterpreting objects or considering them in a different context, can introduce new pathways for queer narratives to emerge.
You can expect to learn more about how to research queer history, activate overlooked objects, and engage with the visitors/volunteers in creative ways.
We’ll also be joined by Indigo Dunphy-Smith from the Georgian House, Edinburgh.
Indigo has been working in the heritage sector for over seven years in both Australia and Scotland. She has also recently completed an SVQ in Museums and Galleries studies through Museums Galleries Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland. Indigo has worked in a diverse range of properties, from castles to convict barracks. She specialises in researching and delivering public programmes that make space for new stories in traditional spaces. In her current role at the Georgian House, she has been working hard on a programme of events relating to LGBTQ history in the Georgian period. Her talk Queering House Museums, which she has delivered in both Edinburgh and Sydney, relates to this work.
This event will be recorded. Live captions will be available.