The Philadelphia History Museum celebrates gay and lesbian rights

PHILADELPHIA - August 18, 2013 (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia History Museum is celebrating the city's role in the history of the gay and lesbian rights movement.

The Museum has a special gallery set aside for community groups to come in and share their story. It's a changing exhibition that currently hosts The William Way Community Center.

The William Way Center has one of the largest LGBT archives in the country, artifacts that tell the story of what it was like to be gay in Philadelphia from the early 20th century on.

Chris Bartlett, Exec. Director of William Way LGBT Community Center said, "This archive has wonderful photographs showing demonstrations, pictures of night life, pictures of folks in their daily lives in LGBT communities throughout Philadelphia and every neighborhood and what we really see is that the diversity of the gay community reflects the diversity of the overall city."

The exhibit is called Private Lives in Public Places: Bringing Philadelphia's LGBT History out in the Open.

Charles Croce, CEO, Philadelphia history Museum added, "Our role as a history museum is to tell the stories of Philadelphia from 1680 to the present day so there is a story here. Its contemporary but it also has an interesting history and people should know about it."

The exhibit also features an Oral History Project called 'Listen to my story, look through my eyes.'

"Oral histories have become a powerful way to get at the unique stories of individuals in the community," said Bartlett.

"

We have heard back from folks who have come through the museum that it says to them that Philadelphia is a tolerant city that it's a city that celebrates its heritage and its history," continued Bartlett.

Private Lives in Public Places runs through October 25th. For museum tickets and hours, go to the Philadelphia History Museum.

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lifestyle, 6abc loves the arts, karen rogers

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