What Queer Britain Has Planned for Pride Season 2026

Queer Britain Has a Full Summer Planned and It Starts Before Pride Even Arrives

The UK's national LGBTQ+ museum is running two new exhibitions, three author events and two late-night openings between now and London Pride on 4 July.

Queer Britain, based at Granary Square in King's Cross, has laid out its summer programme and there is more happening here than a single visit will cover. The museum reopened its galleries in February with over 200 objects across six themed displays — including Justin Fashanu's football shirts, Club Kali costumes, a panel from the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt, and material from the Women's Liberation music movement. It also took home the Queer Arts and Culture Award at the 2026 Gaydio Awards.

Two new temporary exhibitions open on 3 June. Fighting With Pride, running until 20 December, looks at the lives of gay service members who were stripped of their medals and dismissed from the British Armed Forces before the ban on LGBTQ+ military service was lifted in 2000. The exhibition was developed with LGBT+ veterans charity Fighting For Pride. Running alongside it until 26 July, Progressive Advertising with Diageo brings together a selection of Smirnoff, Guinness and Johnnie Walker campaigns that have pushed queer representation in mainstream commercial work.

Three author events are coming up across the summer. On 30 May, Mark O'Connell discusses Bond, Queer Bond — his new book on the alternative queer history of 007. On 13 June, Layla McCay presents The Queer Bookshelf, a journey through LGBTQ+ literature from pulp fiction to young adult. On 27 June, Emily Garside is in conversation with Lisa Power for Rainbow Wales, exploring queer figures who have shaped Welsh history.

The museum will also open late on Thursday 18 June and Thursday 16 July as part of its Museum Lates series.

Admission is £10, or £5 for under 30s, with pay what you can available. Open Wednesday to Sunday, noon to 6pm.

Tickets and full details at queerbritain.org.uk.