The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center (SNMVC) – the first LGBTQIA+ visitor center in the National Park Service – opened its doors, signifying a landmark achievement in American history. Marking the 55th anniversary of the groundbreaking Stonewall Rebellion, this day stands as a powerful testament to the unyielding spirit that helped ignite the worldwide LGBTQIA+ rights movement.
A program of Pride Live in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), a bureau of the Department of the Interior, the Visitor Center encompasses 2,100 square feet at 51 Christopher Street, between Waverly Place and 7th Avenue South in New York City.
Amidst the historic backdrop of Greenwich Village, the iconic Stonewall Inn occupied two adjoining storefronts at 51 and 53 Christopher Street and stood as a beacon of resilience on June 28, 1969, when the Stonewall Rebellion took place. Forever changing the course of the LGBTQIA+ movement, the events that transpired on this day became one of the most pivotal moments in the fight for full equality. In the years that followed, the physical space underwent transformations including separating into two different businesses with the current bar at 53 Christopher Street reopening its doors in 1990. Meanwhile, 51 Christopher Street housed a number of unrelated businesses.
The historic project began six years ago and has been led by two Queer women of color: Pride Live Co-Founders Diana Rodriguez and Ann Marie Gothard, who embarked on a mission to celebrate and preserve the legacy of Stonewall.
The SNMVC will also serve as home base for the dedicated Stonewall National Monument NPS park rangers, who are committed to welcoming all visitors to this site of national significance. In addition to their duties surrounding the preservation of the Stonewall National Monument, the rangers will have access to the facilities, host meetings and stamp guests’ National Parks Passport.
Serving as an educational resource, the Visitor Center will offer an immersive experience featuring a rich tapestry of LGBTQIA+ history and culture through a variety of engaging programs, including in-person and virtual tours, informative lecture series, captivating exhibitions, a dedicated theater space, and inspiring visual arts displays. Upon entering the center, visitors will be guided through a multifaceted learning experience that speaks to today’s generations, encouraging them to carry forward the Stonewall legacy and the ongoing fight for full equality.
Exhibits and experiences include:
The Booking.com Theatre
Booking.com supported the theater and is creating original programming in collaboration with Pride Live. The content showcases diverse stories of LGBTQIA+ travelers, such as insights into LGBTQIA+ friendly travel destinations and inclusive hospitality practices across the country. Pride Live will also screen films and host events in the theater.
Wall of Solidarity
Google installed an interactive exhibit that greets visitors upon entering the Visitor Center. The exhibit features digital screens that convey the impact of Stonewall’s legacy around the world and spotlights the voices of revolutionary hope. This installation honors the humanity and faces of our community showing interactions of love, care, strength, perseverance, courage, and queer joy. In the digital screens, we see the ripple effects of Stonewall around the world. In seeing our own reflection, we are encouraged to honor the legacy of this place, carry the torch, and make history as they did in June 1969.
The West Wall
Stonewall Pioneer and SNMVC Founding Partner Mark Segal curated a series of panels for the West Wall of the SNMVC, each one offering a first-hand account of the events that led up to the Stonewall Rebellion. The panels provide visitors a comprehensive telling of the Stonewall legacy, including historical moments that shaped LGBTQIA+ activism across the country. These panels also tell the story of the NPS, their support of the LGBTQIA+ community and their expanding role in the ongoing fight for full equality. The West Wall features the original archway that connected 51 and 53 Christopher Street, the two spaces of the original Stonewall Inn.
Jukebox
With support from Amazon, a Founding Partner of the SNMVC, the Jukebox exhibit features a 1967 Rowe AMI, a replica of the original jukebox that was present inside the Stonewall bar in 1969. Curated by award-winning DJ and producer Honey Dijon, the jukebox features songs that capture the rebellious spirit and collective joy of the Stonewall community. In her own words: “The music I selected is a way to understand this historic moment in time through a different lens, through the musical lens. Because it wasn’t all just fighting back. It was also joy, celebration, community, and sisterhood.” Honey Dijon’s playlist is available exclusively on Amazon Music, and a short film about the project is available here.
Parsons School of Design Student Exhibit
To ensure the voice of today’s generation is heard and part of the very fabric of the SNMVC, Pride Live established a partnership with The New School’s Parsons School of Design to create an elective class for students, who curate a rotating exhibit at the Visitor Center that shares the experiences of young Queer people and allies. Each year, a new collective of students will create a reimagined exhibit.
Mothers of Star AR Experience
- Hawk Snipes, Tourmaline and Kinfolk Foundation have joined forces to create a historical archive. The ‘Mothers of Star’ AR experience is a diverse representation of impactful community figures that have been celebrated, silenced, uplifted and even erased throughout history. Currently focusing on bringing newly imagined queer/trans monuments to life such as Storme DeLarverie, Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson and Zazu Nova, among other impactful Black and Brown historical figures. Throughout the installation, visitors will experience a collective movement of art and technology to redefine and preserve our collective memory.
Stonewall Generations
Stonewall Generations is a video series produced by Pride Live with support from Founding Parter AARP. Rooted in one of the most significant flashpoints of the modern LGBTQIA+ liberation movement – the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion – this series highlights, celebrates and archives the voices of the movement – both historic and contemporary – to underscore the reverberations of Stonewall in the fight for full equality today. Featured speakers of the series include Chelsea Clinton, Adam Lambert, Silvia Vasquez-Lavado and more.
FEWOCiOUS Original Art
An original work, entitled “How Are You?”, from the Queer artist FEWOCiOUS is featured on the east wall of the Visitor Center. The artist created the painting in real-time in Christopher Park at the SNMVC’s 2022 Groundbreaking Ceremony. The east wall also features an original painting from Ang R. Bennett, entitled “To the Ones We Forgot.”
Design & Architecture
Parente Development managed the project, and EDG Architecture + Engineering oversaw architectural design and structural engineering, with experiential storytelling provided by Local Projects. WB Engineers + Consultants managed the mechanical, electrical and plumbing design, and HMBA designed the Visitor Center’s audio visual, IT and security systems. Architectural lighting was curated by Orsman Design, with various state-of-the-art lighting controls and fixtures provided by Lutron Electronics. Interior designers Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, longtime supporters of Pride Live, have lent their time, network, and expertise to the project. All partners are recognized as Founding Supporters of the SNMVC.
The SNMVC officially opens its doors to the public today, June 28. Admission is free for all visitors, and reservations can be made here.
