Tuesday, November 4 & 25, 2025
10:00 - 11:00 am PT

What hidden queer stories might be hiding in your collection?

Australian researcher and heritage professional Indigo Dunphy-Smith, now based in Scotland, invites you on a journey of curiosity and possibility with her toolkit How to: Queer Your Historic House.

This two-part session introduces and applies How to: Queer Your Historic House, a free toolkit designed to help heritage professionals explore and share queer narratives within historic properties and collections - even with no direct connection! Developed through Indigo’s experience in heritage education and engagement across Australia and Scotland, the toolkit offers practical, budget-friendly methods to support more inclusive storytelling by rethinking how objects, spaces, and histories are interpreted.

Part One: Toolkit & Case Study
The first session introduces the toolkit and Indigo will walk participants through its different sections These include, addressing the challenges of engaging with queer history, exploring how to connect contextual histories to your site, and delivering a range of community events. A case study from The Georgian House (Edinburgh) demonstrates how these methods can be applied in practice, revealing queer resonances within an 18th-century townhouse shaped by empire, aesthetics, and social order. This example highlights both the challenges and opportunities of embedding queer, intersectional approaches within institutional heritage contexts.

Part Two: Hands-On Workshop
The second session invites participants to apply the toolkit to their own work. Attendees are asked to bring an object or story from their own collection. In small groups, we will experiment with shifting contexts, cultural, emotional, and social, to reframe familiar narratives and uncover hidden queer possibilities. Together, we will test how queering interpretation can connect with Canadian audiences and local communities.

Key Takeaway
Queering history doesn’t require new acquisitions or large budgets. By working with what you already have, you can begin to create more inclusive, resonant, and creative connections between people, places, and the past.

 

 

How to: Queer Your Historic House

Register Now

  • Tuesday Nov 04 2025, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
    Tuesday Nov 25 2025, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM