World's First Chinese LGBTQ Museum Opens in San Francisco

The OUT Museum, the world’s first museum dedicated to the history and art of the Chinese LGBTQ community, has opened in San Francisco’s Chinatown (USA). The institution aims to preserve and highlight the experiences of both mainland Chinese residents and the diaspora.

The museum was founded by artist and activist Xiangqi Chen, who left China in 2022 following a government crackdown on queer spaces. According to her, the idea for the archive originated in Shanghai, where a crowdfunding campaign was supported by over 2,000 people. The project was later developed with the support of the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco.

According to a report by LGBTQ Nation , the museum currently operates as a one-room exhibition space open on Saturdays. Admission is free, but reservations are required.

The inaugural exhibition includes a timeline of LGBTQ history in China, interactive installations, photography, and mixed media art. Some of the exhibits were created by artists whose work cannot be legally or safely displayed in their home country due to censorship.

Writer and museum advisory board member Helen Zia highlighted the importance of a physical space validating the community’s existence, particularly given the pervasive anti-LGBTQ sentiment in mainland China and among conservative immigrant populations in the US. Organizers hope to expand the museum’s space, hours, and collection in the future.