Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center
Establishing a permanent home for LGBTQ+ history at the site of the uprising.
Overview
On a summer night in 1969, a routine police raid at the Stonewall Inn turned into an uprising that changed the world. Over 50 years later, we worked with Pride Live to reclaim that history on the very ground where it happened. We transformed 51 Christopher Street—part of the original bar complex—into the official visitor center for the Stonewall National Monument. The goal was to move beyond a static plaque. We wanted to build a space that captures the chaotic, joyful, and defiant energy of the rebellion, reminding visitors that the fight for equality began right here on this sidewalk.
Partners
EDG Architects
Services
Concept Design, Exhibition Design, Design Development, Documentation
The Details
We anchored the experience in the sensory details of the night. The centerpiece is a vintage 1967 jukebox—the exact model that played during the riots—restored and curated by DJ Honey Dijon to play the anthems of 1969, connecting the music of the dance floor to the spirit of the resistance. The narrative moves from the past to the present: a vibrant, gradient-filled timeline traces the evolution of the movement from a Greenwich Village enclave to the global fight for marriage equality. At the entrance, we immortalized the call to action with a glowing light installation: a pledge to "fight like hell," inviting every visitor to pick up the torch.
