Launch of MGS-backed toolkit on queering historic houses
We’re pleased to endorse How to Queer Your Historic House, a new toolkit which advises heritage workers on how to explore LGBTQ+ themes in historic sites.
This free toolkit was authored by Indigo Dunphy-Smith (she/her), a freelance heritage professional and co-chair of the National Trust for Scotland’s LGBTQ+ staff network. The toolkit has been informed by Indigo’s experiences of staging LGBTQ+ inclusive interpretation for events, workshops, and lectures in heritage settings. It also features a case study from the Georgian House, a National Trust for Scotland property in Edinburgh.
How to Queer Your Historic House, which was made possible thanks to funding from the Queer Heritage and Collections Network, explains the importance of ensuring LGBTQ+ representation in historic spaces and offers practical advice on research methods, interpretation, and engagement.
Ahead of the launch, Indigo said: “The guide advocates for contextual storytelling through collections and encourages heritage professionals to be creative and playful in their interpretation.
“It invites the reader to draw on the rich research already available in the field and provides practical steps to implement it into public engagement methods. The endorsement of this resource from MGS is a vital expression of our sector’s commitment to making heritage spaces and stories more inclusive.”
Ellie Muniandy (she/they), Senior Museum Development Manager at MGS, said: “How to Queer Your Historic House offers heritage workers a range of approaches which will help them to tell more diverse and representative stories about the past.
“The aims of Indigo’s fantastic guide align with our ambition for Scotland’s museums and galleries to achieve LGBTQ+ equity across their work. Our endorsement of How to Queer Your Historic House follows our recent survey on LGBTQ+ representation in the museum sector, which highlighted that museum organisations are seeking resources which will help them to build their knowledge and confidence in this area.”
How to Queer Your Historic House is available for download for free from Indigo’s website. A free event to launch the toolkit will take place online on May 20th: tickets are available on Eventbrite. A recording of the launch will be uploaded to the Queer Heritage and Collections Network website later in the week.
