GLBT Historical Society Museum

The GLBT Historical Society Museum on 18th Street is often called the “queer Smithsonian.” It’s the first stand-alone museum of its kind in the United States, dedicated entirely to LGBTQ+ history and culture. Inside, visitors find exhibitions that rotate between art, photography, personal archives, and artifacts that tell the stories of gay life in San Francisco and beyond.

Highlights include materials documenting the early days of activism, the fight against HIV/AIDS, and everyday life in the Castro. The museum also houses the archives of Harvey Milk and other key community figures. It’s a small space but deeply immersive.