Custom LGBTQ+ History Exhibits

Built for your community. Grounded in history. Designed to last.

Every community has a history worth telling — but not every story has been researched, assembled, and shared.

Expanding Horizons also creates custom LGBTQ+ history exhibits that help organizations document their legacy, connect with their audiences, and bring their stories to life. Whether built from deep archival research or thoughtfully curated from existing scholarship, each exhibit is designed to be clear, engaging, and meaningful to the people it serves.

Three Ways to Build a Custom Exhibit

These are not off-the-shelf displays. They are purpose-built experiences created to reflect your community, your mission, and your moment.

Curated Thematic Exhibits

Focused, high-impact exhibits built from existing scholarship and cultural history.

Original Research Exhibits

Deep, primary-source research that uncovers and tells stories no one else has assembled.

Premium

Exhibit Customization & Localization

Adapt existing exhibits to reflect your audience, region, or institutional focus.

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2024 Milwaukee

Case Study: Brady East STD Clinic (BESTD)

Turning 50 years of service into a living institutional story

To mark its 50th anniversary, the Brady East STD Clinic (BESTD) partnered with Expanding Horizons to create a fully custom exhibit documenting its history, impact, and legacy as a volunteer-run clinic that made a major impact on the community’s response to AIDS.

This project involved a deep archival review of organizational records, historical materials, and institutional milestones — transforming decades of work into a clear, compelling narrative.

The exhibit debuted at BESTD’s anniversary gala and continues to serve multiple purposes:

  • Supporting donor cultivation

  • Demonstrating stability to institutional partners

  • Honoring past volunteers

  • Strengthening current volunteer culture

  • Introducing new volunteers to the organization’s legacy

Today, the exhibit lives in BESTD’s board room, where it continues to inform, engage, and reinforce a shared sense of purpose.

2024

Milwaukee

“Communication was top-notch and the final outcome was even better than we imagined. A great experience all around.”

Ruthie B., Clinic Manager

What to Expect

Custom exhibits are high-touch, collaborative projects. Scope, timeline, and process vary depending on the level of research and customization involved.

Projects may include:

  • Archival research and content development

  • Narrative design and structure

  • Exhibit-ready text and layout guidance

  • Collaboration with institutional stakeholders

Smaller, focused projects are also possible, but all custom work is approached with the same commitment to clarity, rigor, and audience engagement.

Let’s Make LGBTQ+ History, Together.

If you’re considering a custom exhibit—or wondering what’s possible for your organization—the best place to start is a conversation.

Let’s talk about your goals, your audience, and the story you want to tell.

Schedule a discovery call to explore next steps.