World AIDS Museum and Educational Center

The World AIDS Museum and Educational Center, located at 1350 E Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, opened on May 15, 2014.[1][2][3]

Logo

History

The AIDS Museum and Educational Center began as a HIV support group, Pozitive Attitudes, at the Pride Center in Fort Lauderdale. The facilitator of that group was Steve Stagon and it was his idea to create an AIDS museum, in south Florida because Broward County and Miami-Dade County are "the epicenter of the AIDS crisis in America" and because of the area's LGBTQ population.[4] [5] After a series of temporary exhibits in churches and the Pride Center, they choose the location on 26th Street.

The building

On November 7, 2013, Magic Johnson visited the World AIDS Museum and dedicated the space, 22 years to the day he announced his HIV status.[6] Doors officially opened to the public in May 2014.

The World AIDS Museum and Educational Center has a main gallery featuring the historical timeline of the AIDS epidemic, exhibits on Stigma, and a travelling photography exhibit, The Face of HIV,[7] which is now hung in The Urban League of Broward County's community gallery. They also do educational programs in schools and community organizations. The current Executive Director is Dr. Requel Lopes, AP. WAM is now located at the 1350 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304 in the ArtServe Facility.

Author and AIDS activist Larry Kramer, spoke at the museum on March 9, 2017 in conjunction with an exhibit that honored his work.[8][9]

Traveling AIDS Museum project based in Newark, New Jersey

The AIDS Museum is a nonprofit organization based in Newark, New Jersey with a collection of art related to AIDS and art by artists living with HIV .[10] It was founded in December 2004.[11]

Among the museum's (traveling) exhibits have been:

  • an exhibit of art by HIV-positive artists titled "Eyes of Mercy", was held from November 11 through December 1, 2006 at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ.
  • The museum also co-organized an exhibit titled "Edge of Light: Art in the Age of AIDS" at the Paul Robeson Center Gallery at Rutgers Newark, which ran from July 2007 until December 2007.
  • the World Culture Open Gallery (New York) was the site of a collaborative project called "Positive Still: Artists Respond to AIDS" featuring, among other artwork, five pieces from the AIDS Museum's permanent collection.

There is an AIDS Museum in Thailand and another being developed in South Africa.

References
  1. Ross Forman, "World AIDS Museum opens in Fort Lauderdale", Windy City Times, 08-26-2014, http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/World-AIDS-Museum-opens-in-Fort-Lauderdale/48764.html, retrieved 09-15-2014
  2. Christiana Lilley, "World AIDS Museum Ready to Open in Wilton Manors", South Florida Gay News, June 11, 2014, p. 31, http://issuu.com/sfgnissues/docs/v5i24, retrieved 09-15-2014
  3. Barszewski, Larry (2013-01-31). "World AIDS Museum trying to get started in Broward". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 2014-04-22.
  4. Barszewski, Larry (21 January 2013). "World AIDS Museum trying to get started in Broward". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  5. World AIDS Museum, "About Us", http://www.worldaidsmuseum.org/about-us/.
  6. Barkhurst, Ariel (7 November 2013). "Magic Johnson dedicates space for World AIDS Museum in Wilton Manors". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  7. McDonald, John (25 August 2017). "'Real Faces of HIV' Exhibit Gets New Life". South Florida Gay News. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  8. retrieved April 13, 2017.
  9. Diaz, Johnny (7 March 2017). "Wilton Manors exhibit explores 30 years of AIDS activism". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  10. "Welcome to About Us". aidsmuseum.org. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  11. "Social Science Docket 32 Summer - Fall 2011 Guide to Museums in New Jersey" (PDF). Social Science Docket. Summer–Fall 2011. Retrieved 2014-04-22.

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