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Make a Scene: Fashioning Queer Identity and Club Culture in the 90s
About
In the 1990s, a vibrant and creative underground nightclub and dance party scene emerged in Brisbane for LGBTQIA+ people and their allies – safe places to wear fabulous fashions that celebrated the community’s diversity and reflected a fearless self-expression of identity.
Coinciding with the 35th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality, this original exhibition by Queensland Museum brings together fashion, pop culture and LGBTQIA+ lived experience. Featuring extraordinary pieces from the museum’s costume and fashion collections, Make a Scene will reveal untold stories of Queensland’s LGBTQIA+ communities and illuminate key moments from this period of Brisbane’s history.
Exploring a diverse range of dress codes expressing LGBTQIA+ identity of the early 1990s, the exhibition will also highlight the works of two distinctly different, but interconnected Brisbane-based labels that represent a new queer youth culture crystallising in Queensland at the time – Mark Wilson’s Hairy Dog, and Kenn Bushby and Chrissy Feld’s Glamourpussy.
Journey back to the 90s dancefloor through fashion, objects and lived experiences generously shared by community, artists, designers and cultural institutions from Brisbane and beyond. The scene is set.
Accessibility
This exhibition features:
Music/soundscapes
Very low light
Seating
Light projections
Interactive and touch objects
For accessibility assistance please visit our accessibility page or contact the museum on (07) 3153 3000.
Sensory Map
Large Print Guide
Coming soon
Acknowledgements
Queensland Museum extends respect and gratitude to organisations and individuals across the LGBTQIA+ communities for sharing their stories and objects with us. The exhibition would not have been possible without this generous support. We extend our respects to those members of community who are no longer with us to share their stories, and for those that fought and continue to advocate for our human rights and equality.
Queensland Museum acknowledges our partner Queensland Human Rights Commission Queensland, support from individual donors and Nightlife Music, Australian Queer Archives, Brisbane Powerhouse and MELT Festival, Melbourne Arts Centre, Museum of Art And Applied Sciences, Queensland State Archives, Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art and State Library of Queensland.
Evolving Pride
6pm to 7pm | Thursday 18 September 2025
Free
Join this intergenerational panel of LGBTQ+ community members for a conversation focused on Pride in Queensland – its meaning and how we celebrate. Reflecting on the birth of Brisbane Pride in the 1990s and its legacy today, this event will also include the formal handover of a section of the Gilbert Baker 25th Anniversary Pride Flag – a donation from Brisbane Pride to the Queensland Museum collections.
Brisbane Fashion Month in Conversation
6.30pm to 7.30pm | Wednesday 15 October 2025 and Friday 31 October 2025
$48 per talk or $80 for both talks
Join Fashion Queensland for this specially curated series during Brisbane Fashion Month. Talk tickets include exclusive, after-hours access to Make a Scene: Fashioning Queer Identity and Club Culture in the 90s.
This exhibition also features in the 2025 Brisbane Festival and Melt Festival programs. Sign up to our eNews and follow us on social media to hear when new events and programs are released.
Additional Information
This exhibition explores LGBTQ+ histories and experiences.
Some stories and artwork include experiences of stigma and marginalisation, themes of sexuality, drug use, discrimination, the AIDS epidemic, and its personal and political impact. While the exhibition was developed in consultation with experts and community representatives, some content may be emotionally challenging. We encourage visitors to engage with care and reflection. Support resources are available. Parents and carers should decide if it’s suitable for younger visitors.
Children supervision
Children 12 years and under must be accompanied by a carer or guardian at all times when visiting the museum.
Exhibition partner
Plan your visit
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How to get here & parking
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Accessibility
Accessibility and sensory information to help you plan your visit to Queensland Museum Kurilpa.
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