Funded by the Queer Heritage & Collections Network and endorsed by Museums Galleries Scotland, the toolkit offers hands-on strategies for embedding LGBTQ+ histories into heritage spaces in creative, budget-friendly ways. It builds on my experience working in historic houses in Australia and Scotland, where I have integrated intangible histories into visitor experiences.

My session will walk audiences through the toolkit, beginning with challenges of working with queer histories in historic settings, such as a lack of clear evidence. It will share ways to address these issues through a case study at The Georgian House. The method highlights three strategies: reframing the site’s context, linking stories to everyday objects in the collection, and drawing out socio-geographical networks. I will also share interpretation tips and real-world examples of queer stories embedded into programming.

With imagination, careful research, and flexible interpretation, the toolkit can help reveal previously overlooked queer resonances, enriching the visitor experience and broadening the ways we understand and share stories in historic houses. Hard copies of the toolkit will be available for free.