Case Study: Buffalo Historical Society

Cynthia van Ness had been an allied advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights for decades. As same-gender marriage was legalized in New York, she recognized her friends were making history with every “I do.”

As librarian of the Buffalo History Museum, Cynthia began collecting LGBTQIA+ wedding memorabilia to build “The Newlywed Project.”

-

“Visible & Valued: Case Studies in Queer Museum Inclusion” spotlight innovative LGBTQIA+ initiatives in museums across the United States. The project, led by ALK Consulting, documents the operational considerations and organizational culture changes involved in positioning museums as authentically inclusive spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community.

To promote an inclusive narrative, case studies are developed through a series of interviews with museum leadership, staff, and community members whose collaboration contributed to accomplishing these LGBTQIA+ initiatives.

Downloadable case studies are available for free ($0 price) to increase access to this advice and expertise for other museum professionals seeking to improve LGBTQIA+ inclusion at their institutions.