The New Haven Museum will host, “New Haven’s Closet: 400 Years of Queer History in the Elm City” with LGBTQ+ historian John D. Allen on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m., preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m., in collaboration with New Haven Pride Center. The free event will be held at the Museum, located at 114 Whitney Ave. Information about the exhibit and how to register is available at www.newhavenmuseum.org/.

The evening’s presentation reveals how queer people, places, and events have contributed to New Haven’s robust history over four centuries. Allen will offer a virtual tour of Downtown New Haven–as seen through a queer lens. Discover a history hidden among the nine squares and surrounding area in the country’s first planned city.

Visitors will see where Cole Porter got his kick from champagne; Doors’ front man Jim Morrison was bloodied and arrested; Bette Davis had a bumpy night; Judy and Liza played on parallel streets; Jodi Foster’s hang out the night President Reagan was shot; frisky freshmen went subterranean for their meet and greets; and Connecticut’s first public gay execution in 1646.

Allen is the founder of the New Haven Pride Center where he served on the board of directors for 25 years. He is currently an ex-officio board member. Allen will base his presentation on his queer walking tour, “New Haven’s Closet: 400 Years of Queer History in the Elm City,” which he has given since 2015 during the International Festival of Arts & Ideas.

The New Haven Pride Center is a community focused organization co-creating a space to empower Greater New Haven LGBTQIA+ individuals to not just survive but thrive and uplift each other and their voices. They do this by providing essential case management, support, educational and cultural programming that stands at the intersection of advocacy, arts, and community. They champion collective impact through collaboration with other statewide and regional organizations.

For more information visit http://newhavenmuseum.org or @NewHavenMuseum or call 203-562-4183.