🎆 New Year’s Day? We’ve been interrupting it since 1895. Bishopsgate Institute turns 131 today. Same date, every year. Because why not launch a cultural institution on the most disruptive day of the year? Here’s to another year of learning, dancing, questioning, and keeping London curious.

Our team's growing... Bishopsgate Institute is where history lives, learning thrives and people come together. Right now, we’re hiring for three key roles: 🟡 Visitor Experience Team Lead 🟡 Deputy Operations Manager 🟡 Infrastructure & Facilities Manager Curious? Find out more: bit.ly/3KEoy1X

We’ve never been big on uniforms... But these T-shirt’s might just change that. Pictured: the Bishopsgate Institute team, proudly modelling our limited-edition UK Fetish Archive tees. Made to celebrate history, these shirts are nearly gone. 🖤 Link: https://everpress.com/profile/uk-fetish-archive

We’re not saying dancing is time travel… but if swing, tango or ballroom in our gorgeous Great Hall doesn’t transport you, nothing will. Come solo or bring a partner; the only requirement is a willingness to move. Book via our website. https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/whats-on/search/ 🪩

In this online session for World AIDS Day, we’ll explore how artists responded to fear, loss, and injustice and how their work shaped public memory and protest. From Keith Haring to Gay Sweatshop, these are stories of expression, resistance, and care. @emilygarside.bsky.social 📆 Wed 3 December👇

To mark World AIDS Day, we’re hosting a lunchtime session on the history of AIDS activism - from ACT UP to the Terrence Higgins Trust, and voices like Larry Kramer & Lisa Power. 📅 1 Dec, 12:30 📷 Gordon Rainsford @emilygarside.bsky.social

This is how I feel when I post on Close Friends on insta

"Dear Friends, too busy to write a letter, so I am sending a postcard to a few of my friends to let them know they are not forgotten. W R Bradlaugh unites in Christian love to all." W.R. Bradlaugh knew: connection doesn’t need to be complicated. When the group chat’s too much, go Bradlaugh style.

Not just a pretty building. Inside, you notice the details: soft light, worn steps, carved railings. It wasn’t built to impress, it was built to welcome. This place has held leaflets, love letters, manifestos and more. It looks historic because it is. Come in. What’s your favourite corner?

Not your nan’s Christmas jumper. No jingle, no sparkle - just leather, latex, and full archival fantasy. 🖤 ◼️ ⚫ From the UK Fetish Archive. 3 days left to order. A gift for yourself, or someone who’ll get it. https://everpress.com/profile/uk-fetish-archive

Spotted @davidolusoga.bsky.social somewhere unexpected lately? Now he’s back to the real story. Empire - his new @BBC series on Britain’s imperial legacy, filmed partly at Bishopsgate Institute. 📺 Empire with David Olusoga - watch on BBC iPlayer.

An extra hour of sleep? Don’t mind if we do. 😴 🕰️ Once upon a time, the end of daylight saving meant dashing around to wind back every clock in sight. Now, our digital ones kindly do it for us, though we can’t help admiring the craftsmanship of these timepieces from our archives.

Think you know museums? Think again. 👀 Between 1960 and 2020, the number of museums in the UK tripled. But many were far from what you’d expect. The Mapping Museum Project set out to uncover & document this boom, revealing a world of collectors and community. Learn more 👉 https://bit.ly/46WC7Rs

“No Tango or freak dances were allowed…” In 1914, 230 guests enjoyed a “very pleasant evening” at Bishopsgate - despite a strict ban on Tango, as found in @thebritishnewspaperarchive. Today? Queer Salsa, K-pop, Ballroom & more. Get your freak on. https://bit.ly/3Ihr9xs #BishopsgateInstitute

Somewhere free, quiet, and right next to Liverpool Street? 👀 Whether you’ve got a deadline looming, are polishing off a chapter on your lunch break, or hunting for a calm spot to do some work, our new Reading Room is open to you. 👋 https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/whats-on/activity/reading-room/

New 6-week online course exploring LGBTQIA+ literature with @emilygarside.bsky.social 📚 From hidden histories & the liberation era to the AIDS crisis & contemporary voices, discover the texts that shaped, and were shaped by, the queer community. 🗓️ 2 Oct - 6 Nov 💻 Book: https://bit.ly/42gQgaA

Final chance to book tickets. ⏰ Join us at Bishopsgate Institute to relive the grandeur that was Gay News, with photographer Bob Workman & journalist Keith Howes. Discover the stories, images & icons from the queer 70s & 80s. 📅 24 Sep at 19:00 🎟️ 🔗 https://bit.ly/4mVQ2OD

Shirts celebrating and supporting the UK Fetish Archive @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social available now! everpress.com/profile/uk-f...

Ever wanted to take a piece of the UK Fetish Archive home with you to play? Now's your chance... Limited edition tees - printed to order, 30 days only. 📦 Don’t make us beg. https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/archives/uk-fetish-archive-merch/ Wearing history has never felt quite like this. 🖤

Behind closed doors. Beneath the counter. 📽️ Join us for the launch of Under the Counter – a new archive uncovering Britain’s hidden 8mm film economy (1960–80). With live projection, original materials & a pop-up Soho backroom. 🗓️ 1 Oct, 7-9pm Buy tickets 👉 https://bit.ly/4m6Ruw9

October at Bishopsgate is full of possibilities. Whether you’re here to explore hidden histories or pick up a new skill, this month’s line-up has something to spark your curiosity. Browse the full programme and book your place. https://bit.ly/3Ihr9xs #WhatsOnLondon #LondonEvents

Grit, glamour & gossip from the golden age of Gay News. Photographer Bob Workman & journalist Keith Howes return, for one night only, with stories, images & icons from the queer 70s & 80s. 📅 24 Sep 📍Bishopsgate Institute 🎟️ Book below 🔗 https://bit.ly/4mVQ2OD

Today the HWO team are taking a little field trip to the Bishopsgate Institute (@bishopsgateinst.bsky.social)! We’re so excited to have a look through the History Workshop archive!

A Cold War physicist. A gay tattoo club founder. A quiet force behind modern tattooing. Explore the life and legacy of Rudi Inhelder in our new free exhibition - now open at Bishopsgate Institute. Read more: www.bishopsgate.org.uk/stories/the-... #TattooHistory #QueerArchives

What’s the cost of justice delivered too late? Red Gold (BBC Radio 4) reveals the story behind the infected blood scandal, a billion-dollar industry built on contaminated trust. Proud our archives supported Anita Sullivan's research 🎧 29 July, 14:15 or after on BBC Sounds.

Fabulous afternoon @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social with the @ihr.bsky.social #London #SummerSchool, exploring this year's theme of #Rebels ❤️

A Pride zine made on a home printer. A 1950s gay rights newsletter. A drag ball ticket. Yeliz Zaifoglu visits our archives & chats to @stef-dickers.bsky.social about the quirks and power of what we keep. Read the piece: bit.ly/4jU5l8a #BishopsgateInstitute

🖋️ Queer ink & radical bodies. 📅 23 July: Discover how gay men shaped modern tattooing through Rudi Inhelder's collection. bit.ly/4ntrgpx 📅 26 July: Dive into rare flash, fetish materials & slides with tattoo legends. bit.ly/4ntrb5d #TattooHistory

I took this photo of one of the many great photos as part of an exhibition at the Bishopsgate Institute, London. This reminds me of struggle of disabled people everywhere. I am so moved and inspired by this. Thx @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social

🌈 Who gets to belong? 📚 Who gets to tell the story? Join us 9 July for the launch of Desi Queers, a new book exploring queer South Asian life in Britain. 🎤 With DJ Ritu, Manju Patel-Nair, Charan Singh, profsunnysingh.bsky.social ‬& @rkdasgupta.bsky.social. 🎟 Book: bit.ly/3I9RCN9

Do you teach movement, dance or wellbeing? We’re looking for tutors to run weekday lunchtime & evening sessions for City workers looking to reset. 📍 Central London 🕛 Weekday lunchtime & early evening 🔗 bit.ly/3T4mjpp #DanceTutors #MovementClasses #LondonJobs

✍️ Discover the power of queer storytelling. Join kink practitioner and writer Matt Skully for a workshop exploring sexual subcultures through writing. 📆 13th of July & 10th of August. 🎟️ Book now: bit.ly/3HKMCOO #QueerWriting #BishopsgateInstitute

At the @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social. 20 June 2025.

Our Pride Reception kicked off Pride 2025 with joy, community, and a toast to queer stories of the past, present, and future. 🏳️‍🌈 Thank you to all who joined us, and to Aldgate Connect for their support! #PrideMonth #Pride2025

This week is the start of online talks for Pride month with Bishopsgate Institute. From the history of activism, through LGBTQIA+ Literature to Queer Musicals, through to the work of Russell T Davies, there's a Pride talk for everyone! Join me online (via zoom) across June.

London friends! Fancy kicking off Pride month with a talk on Activism led by...well, me? I'll be at @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social on Friday 6th, come for a history lesson, stay to nerd out with me and learn about their great work! www.bishopsgate.org.uk/whats-on/act...

If you're in London, book a Pride month tour of the incredible LGBTQ+ archives @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social www.bishopsgate.org.uk/whats-on/act...

This Pride Month, join us at the Institute for talks and workshops on queer activism, literature, musicals, and the TV legacy of Russell T Davies. Led by @emilygarside.bsky.social and others, open to all. Explore events → bishopsgate.org.uk/whats-on/sea... #PrideMonth2025 #QueerHistory

Wizard robes. Pulp zines. Protest banners. Step into 300,000+ stories of queer history this #PrideMonth. 🏳️‍🌈 5 archive tours. June 2025. 📍 Open to all. 🎟️ Book now - bit.ly/3Syku3s

"Needs more egg." If you’ve ever thought that while eyeing a tin of beans… you’re not alone. For the adventurous cooks and archive-diggers: this 1950s recipe might just tempt your tastebuds, or test your limits. 📸 From 57 Ways With Heinz Baked Beans (c.1950) | LCM/527

Between 1960 and 2020, UK museums more than tripled in number, many founded by local communities, not institutions. Explore the stories behind them in our Mapping Museums oral history archive, ahead of #InternationalMuseumsDay (18 May).🔗 www.bishopsgate.org.uk/collections/...

Job klaxon! Archivist role (part-time, maternity cover) at @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social, a truly wonderful collection: www.bishopsgate.org.uk/jobs/archivi...

Spring sunshine, sandwiches in the park & a hint of hayfever - a May afternoon well spent. ☀️ Our Library holds a wealth of information on the social and political history of London’s parks and open spaces. 📸 River Christian Centre Archive

In 1912, a Lantern Lecture lit up our halls. Today, you can still hire the same historic spaces for talks, launches, rehearsals and more. A venue with real history. 🔗 www.bishopsgate.org.uk/hire/promote... #VenueHire #LondonEvents #BishopsgateInstitute

Your year in the archives, at a glance: 🧾 7,547 research requests completed 👋 2,483 research visitors and 1,251 were first-time visitors 🔍 Top focus? LGBTQ+ History 🏳️‍🌈 (3,642 requests!) 👆 Most-used archive? Our LGBTQ+ Reference Library (1,060 times) Thanks for keeping history alive.

This March, we launched our new heritage project: Unjust Deaths. Thank you to all our supporters who came to @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social to celebrate the work of the project including:

There’s a quiet kind of magic in getting married at Bishopsgate Institute. You’re surrounded by stories & your own becomes part of them. These moments, shared by one of our couples, capture something of what it feels like to be here. It’s not just a venue. bishopsgate.org.uk/hire/celebra...

Throwback to Desire in the Archive 💘✨ On 10 Feb 2023, our Library became a haven for queer desire, beyond Valentine’s clichés. Poetry, life drawing & dazzling drag reimagined love. Guests explored LGBTQIA+ archives, uncovering stories of love, activism & resilience.

Last year, Sreya Chatterjee explored Shakti Khabar’s legacy as part of her placement with the White Rose College of Arts and Humanities. One of the first UK newsletters by & for queer South Asians, it built a vital space for activism, support & connection. #LGBTHistoryMonth #QueerSouthAsianHistory

Join Stefan Dickers to hear how the @bishopsgateinst.bsky.social  LGBTQ+ historic, political and cultural collections were gathered and the stories behind the objects. 13 February at 7pm. Free: https://www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/whats-on/bishopsgate-institutes-lgbtq-collections