Gay and Lesbian History lives on in collections and displays - formerly a tricky subject for museums, now a heritage that is being celebrated.

The Greek statue rooms at the British Museum were one place where Victorian men could go and look at the male form without fear of arrest. One of the closing scenes of EM Forster's gay novel Maurice is set in the museum, where Maurice's lover threatens to reveal their illegal relationship to a passing acquaintance.

The Museum of London had an exhibition “Queer is Here” which is touring London libraries. It includes photographs of Pride events by Peter Marshall, as well as looking at gay activism, health, coming out and bullying in schools.

The large number of gay actors, designers and writers means that “The Theatre Museum” in Covent Garden is full of material from glamorous gay lives. Noel Coward's slippers and dressing gown, John Gielgud's case and materials by Edith Craig are all permanently on display.

Plans for an LGBT museum in London is gaining support from City Hall and across the museum sector so we can look back and get a clearer historical picture of homophile lives.