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Stonewall National Museum & Archives


Stonewall National Museum and Archives (SNMA) is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization that promotes understanding through preserving and sharing the culture of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their role in society. SNMA is dedicated solely to LGBT history, civil rights, art and culture. The museum features three gallery spaces with changing monthly and bi-monthly exhibits, and includes a permanent timeline of American LGBT history. The SNMA is located at 1300 East Sunrise Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.

The Stonewall Library & Archives was founded in 1973 by Mark N. Silber. The collection was housed in his parents' house for 10 years. It was moved to a classroom at the Sunshine Cathedral, Metropolitan Community Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida around 1983.The library merged with the Boca Raton-based Southern Gay Archives and they formed Stonewall Library & Archives, Inc. In 2001, the library and archive moved into the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of South Florida at 1717 North Andrews Avenue.

The center was slated for demolition, so Stonewall began looking for other options. They were approached by Broward County, who offered the collection space at the Fort Lauderdale branch of the Broward County library, which already includes tenant ArtServe. The Broward County Commission approved the move in a 9-0 vote on 10 June 2007. The new location opened in February 2009 at 1300 East Sunrise Blvd in Fort Lauderdale Florida.

In 2014 the Museum opened a branch, the Stonewall Gallery, at 2157 Wilton Drive in neighboring Wilton Manors.

On 10 July 2007, the Fort Lauderdale city commission also voted, on a 3-2 vote, to allow the library to occupy a space in the building that is city owned but under long-term lease to the county. Before the vote, mayor Jim Naugle denounced the library, claiming that it contained pornographic materials. Executive Director Jack Rutland noted that the three titles singled out by Naugle were all part of the library's non-circulating archive of 7000 titles, maintained for historical and research purposes only. The dispute was another round in a stormy relationship between the city's large gay community and Naugle, who has repeatedly made statements that are perceived as anti-gay.


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