Poland has a new museum dedicated to the history of the country’s LGBTQ+ community. QueerMuzeum will be operated by Lambda Warsaw Association, Poland’s oldest operating LGBTQ+ organization, according to the Washington Blade. The museum hosts many important artifacts, some of which date back as far as the 16th century.
QueerMuzeum challenges Poland’s post-communist conservatism, which has seen extremist anti-LGBTQ activity such as LGBTQ free zones in sections of Poland where older populations have opted to completely eliminate queer culture from their towns and communities.
Lambda president, Milosz Przepiórkowski said of the launch “This sends a message to politicians: ‘Look we are opening the fifth queer museum in the world in a country with the worst legal situation for queer people in the EU.’”
Przepiórkowski hopes the museum will bring awareness to Lambda’s advocacy work and historical preservation. Currently, the org has over 100,000 artifacts in its archives, including letters, photographs, and activist materials.
The museum’s permanent collection features materials from various famous institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, National Digital Archives, National Library, Central Archives of Historical Records and more.
Temporary exhibitions will also circulate throughout the yearly calendar. Current temporary exhibitions include “Discord Pins” a collection of 300 LGBTQ+ history pins which will be shown through the end of February.
Poland is one of five remaining EU countries that has consistently voted against LGBTQ+ rights and recognition in recent years, despite a recent ruling from the European Court of Human Rights in 2023 that these countries are violating civil rights.
Polish government officials have been reluctant to pass a highly anticipated civil unions bill and update discrimination and hate speech policies to protect queer groups. However in October, Poland’s LGBTQ+ community saw new legislation introduced to support the legal recognition of partnerships between same-sex couples.
Though the majority of the country’s ruling coalition supported the bill, it was also suspected that conservative groups would reject it. What’s more the bill could be approved in parliament but may still be vetoed by conservative President Andrzej Duda.
According to Notes from Poland, the law allows two unmarried adults to enter a registered partnership at a registry office, regardless of gender. It was introduced by the centrist Civic Coalition, Poland’s central ruling group. On the right, opposing the bill is the national-conservative Law and Justice Party and the Confederation party. If the bill passes, same-sex couples will still not be allowed to adopt their partner’s children despite calls from LGBTQ+ rights groups.
QueerMuzeum presents a challenge to the conservative community in Poland that rejects LGBTQ+ identities and hopes they disappear. Now, Lambda Warsaw Association and the QueerMuzeum will make sure that queer rights are preserved in peace or in protest.
