From Gentleman Jack’s hat to Olly Alexander’s cape: 10 objects that tell Britain’s queer history

Olly Alexander at Glastonbury, Divine’s octopus dress, Suranne Jones in Gentleman Jack, statues of Christine Burns and Lady Phyll and the hijabs of Imaan. Photograph: Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage; BBC/HBO; Antonio Olmos/The Guardian

In 1972, hundreds marched in the first Pride event in London, united by a refusal to be invisible in the face of a homophobic, hostile society. Fifty years on, the capital is host to another important milestone: the arrival of Queer Britain, the UK’s first national LGBTQ+ museum.

Three months after the museum opened in Kings Cross, its first exhibition is now open to the public. We Are Queer Britain is a selection of artefacts that bring together important voices, objects and images from the UK’s queer activism, art, politics and culture, with some materials dating back to the 18th century.