Qtopia: Sydney’s first ‘Pride Museum’ wins council approval, opening date revealed

Plans have been approved to turn a former Sydney cop shop into Australia’s first dedicated ‘Pride Museum’ that is set to include school tour groups, live performances and a HIV memorial.

A former police station – synonymous with a dark chapter in the treatment of Sydney’s LGBTIQA+ community – is one step closer to being transformed into the city’s first ‘pride museum’.

The City of Sydney has approved a $2.1 million development plan to adapt the former Darlinghurst Police Station into a new ‘Qtopia Museum’ that will host exhibitions, display theatre performances and school tours.

The museum is aimed at “renewing the history” of the former cop shop where the original mardi gras 1978 protesters were detained.

The project – spearheaded by non-for-profit organisation Qtopia – also includes a full-scale recreation of Ward 17 at St Vincent’s Hospital which was the epicentre of the Sydney’s AIDS and HIV pandemic.

Greg Fisher, the director of Qtopia, said a mad scramble was now underway to have the museum opened in time for this year’s Sydney mardi gras parade in five weeks’ time.

Qtopia supporters Ian Roberts, Premier Chris Minns, Greg Fisher and Dr Liz Bradshaw, outside the old Darlinghurst Police Station, which is the new home for Qtopia Sydney.

It is understood the grand opening will be attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Premier Chris Minns, Lord Mayor Clover Moore as well as senior members of NSW Police.

Mr Fisher said locating the museum in the walls of the former police station would shine a line on the building’s history including the bashings by police which occurred in its cells before it was shut down in the 1980s.

“Homosexuality was still a crime in NSW until 1984 and we won’t be holding back in telling the stories of the treatment of gay people and cross dressing prior to 1984,” he said.

A photos of protesters marching outside the police station in 1979.

‘It will enable the site to go from a place of trauma to a site of celebration of social justice and change.”

The museum will open with 15 separate story spaces including an exhibit showcasing 50 years of social change told through music.

Other spaces within the museum will focus on the first nations experience, the marriage equality debate, gender diversity and the evolution of gay rights from being illegal to legal.

A photo detailing the interior sections of the police station.

Mr Fisher said Qtopia was working with the Department of Education and the NSW Teachers Federation on finalising an endorsed education program for school tour groups to visit the museum.

“The idea is that it would include a walking tour around the area and different programs for different age groups,” he said.

“At the end of the day it’s not strictly about students coming to learn about queer people, but to learn about inclusion and identity. That’s what we’ll be focusing on.”

A photo of demonstrators outside the police station in 1978.

Qtopia – which has high profile board members and patrons including Ita Buttrose – has received funding from both the City of Sydney Council and the State Government to develop the museum.

The council approval allows the site to open from 9am – 8pm, seven days per week

Jim Carothers – an original member of the 78ers who was arrested after participating in the first parade alongside his wife and their gay friends – has previously spoken of his support for the museum.

The museum will open next month.

“The lockup has a very dirty history and there’s absolutely a good reason for that whole era to be remembered and honoured,” he said.

“There are people who gave up serious concessions to make the progress we now see happen.”

Mr Fisher said a small army of tradies is working to have the museum open by February 23 – a week before the mardi gras parade on March 2.

The development also includes a theatrette for live performances such as cabaret.