The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center (SNMVC) – the first LGBTQIA+ visitor center within the National Park Service – will officially open its doors on Friday, June 28, 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.
The Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center is 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.
Designated by President Barack Obama on June 24, 2016, the Stonewall National Monument includes the 0.19-acre formerly known as Christopher Park and the surrounding streets including Christopher Street adjacent to the park. The Stonewall National Monument is the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQIA+ rights and history.
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 separate businesses with the current bar at 53 Christopher Street reopening its doors in 1990. Meanwhile, 51 Christopher Street housed a number of different businesses.
“The National Park Service eagerly anticipates the official opening of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center in partnership with Pride Live on June 28,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “NPS staff are dedicated to sharing the history of the Stonewall Uprising and the ongoing struggle for LGBTQIA+ equality.
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 journey to create the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center has been a truly remarkable and landmark moment,” said Ann Marie Gothard (she/her), Chair of the Board of Directors, Pride Live. “This required the tireless support of countless partners who are deeply committed to preserving history. With the opening of the Visitor Center, we pay homage to the brave individuals behind the historic Stonewall Rebellion. We hope it stands as an enduring and resilient symbol and serves as a beacon for generations to come, providing the unique opportunity to step foot on the site where history unfolded and where the fight for LGBTQIA+ equality was ignited.”
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.
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.
“The SNMVC will provide an enhanced visitor experience for those seeking to learn more about the historic movement for LGBTQIA+ equality that continues to this day. NPS looks forward to our continued partnership with Pride Live to celebrate and acknowledge the struggle for equality and accomplishments of the LGBTQIA+ community,” said National Park Manhattan Sites Superintendent Shirley McKinney.
Pride Live received significant support from the Mellon Foundation, which is a Founding Partner of the Visitor Center. Championing the establishment of the SNMVC exemplifies the work of the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project, which seeks to recalibrate the public knowledge and vision of the history of all communities and the multiplicity of the Americans who fought for justice and rights.
Charter Founding Partners of the SNMVC include Google (the first corporate partner to sign onto the project), American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Adam Lambert, Amazon, Booking.com, Christina Aguilera, Comcast NBCUniversal, Donatella Versace, Elton John and David Furnish, Henry R. Muñoz III and Kaia Ferrari, Hudson Yards, JPMorgan Chase, Kors Le Pere Foundation, National Park Foundation, and Trans Tech Social.
Additional Founding Partners of the SNMVC include Assembly Member Deborah Glick, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP), Conchita Wurst, EDG Architecture + Engineering, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Josephine Skriver (who made the very first donation to the SNMVC), Madonna, National Parks Conservation Association, New York Yankees, Orrick, Target, United Therapeutics, and Visit Philadelphia.
Founding Supporters include Advisory NYC, Alvese People Solutions, Ardea Partners, Betty, Chely Wright, Cynthia Erivo, Dan Monteavo, David Yurman, Fremont Blue Events, ID, Jamie Nicholas Design and Graphics, Lutron Electronics, Ketra Lighting, Major League Baseball (MLB), Martin Celis, National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), National Women’s Soccer League, New York Giants, Orsman Design, Parente Development, Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), SAP, Target, The New York Division of Tourism (ILNY), The Walt Disney Company, United States Tennis Association (USTA), WB Engineering, Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), and Wynn Resorts, as well as Dick Mosher, Dustin Lance Black and Tom Daley, Alok Vaid-Menon, Ivan Bart, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Fern Mallis, Lana and Lilly Wachowski, Manoj Nair, Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, Neil Giuliano, Rodney White and Michael P. Williams, Shoshanna Stone, and Tom Bagley.
Further support has been provided by a leading group of activists, trailblazers, community leaders and allies called the Stonewall Rebels who include Adam Lambert; Alok Vaid-Menon; Angelica Ross; Ashe McGovern, J.D., Head of Global LGBTQIA+ Affairs at Amazon; Betsy Bernard and Laurie Peter; Brad Baumoel, Global Head of LGBT+ Affairs, JPMorgan Chase; Charles John O’Byrne, Executive Vice President for Policy at Related Companies; Chelsea Clinton, DPhil, MPH, Vice Chair, Clinton Foundation & Clinton Health Access Initiative; Christina Aguilera; Conchita Wurst; Craig Robinson, Executive Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer; Doug Jensen, Senior Vice President, The Estee Lauder Companies; Fabrice Houdart, Executive Director, Association of LGBTQ+ Corporate Directors; Geena Rocero, Author, Producer, Director; Hunter O’Hanian; John-Paul Hayworth, LGBTQ+ Audience Strategy Director, AARP; Kelly Bush Novak, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ID; Lina Bradford; Mandy Gutmann, Vice President of Communications and External Affairs, Professional Women’s Hockey League; Martine Rothblatt, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, United Therapeutics; Rick Hendrix, Author; Schuyler Bailar, Educator, Author, Advocate; Shane Jordan, Author, Political Consultant; Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, Global Activist; and Torrence Boone, VP, Global Client Partnerships and NY Site Leader, Google.
Additional supporters and community partners include Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Brooklyn Pride Community Center, Brooklyn YAS, CAMBA, Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, Christopher Park Alliance, Equality Federation, GLSEN, GLAAD, God’s Love We Deliver, Lambda Legal, LGBT VC, Link NYC, Mentor NY, NOH8, NYC & Co, Queer Britain, Speak About It, Stonewall National Museum – Archives and Library, TransLatina Coalition, The Trevor Project, The Center, Ruth Ellis Center, Tenderloin Museum, Victory Institute, and Victory Fund.
The SNMVC will officially open its doors to the public on June 28. Admission is free for all visitors, and reservations can be made here.
To learn more about the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, please visit https://stonewallvisitorcenter.org/ and nps.gov/ston and follow their social media channels.
- Instagram: @STONEWALLVISCTR
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- Facebook: @STONEWALLVISCTR
