Steps to the Future 80/40/20
Monday, June 15, 2026 12:00 AM - Tuesday, September 15, 2026 12:00 AM (PDT)
Description
Steps to the Future 80/40/20: 80 Years of Queer History
June 15–September 15, 2026
Join Come Out Seattle and Union Seattle for Steps to the Future 80/40/20, a special exhibition celebrating 80 years of Seattle LGBTQ+ history through photographs, memorabilia, community stories, and rarely seen archival materials.
Spanning eight decades of local queer history, the exhibit explores the people, places, and moments that helped shape Seattle’s LGBTQ+ community. Visitors will journey from the legendary Garden of Allah through Pride on Broadway and the final last call at Thumper’s.
Drawing from private collections and materials from the University of Washington Special Collections, many items featured in the exhibit will be on public display for the first time.
Whether you are revisiting familiar memories or discovering these stories for the first time, Steps to the Future 80/40/20 invites visitors to honor the past while looking toward the future of our community.
Event Details
Dates: June 15–September 15, 2026
Hours: Monday–Friday, 4:00 PM–2:00 AM; Saturday–Sunday, 12:00 PM–2:00 AM
Location: Union Seattle, Back Hallway Exhibit Space
Address: 1009 E. Union St., Suite C, Seattle, WA 98122
Admission: No cover
Please Note: 21+ with valid ID required
Exhibit Highlights
The exhibit includes historical materials from The Garden of Allah, selections from Don Paulson’s An Evening at the Garden of Allah, a 1986 map and guide to LGBTQ+ bars, taverns, and restaurants, photographs from the 1986 Pride Parade, and never-before-displayed photographs and memorabilia from Thumper’s final week.
About the Exhibit
Steps to the Future 80/40/20 looks back across 80 years of local queer history, celebrating the spaces, stories, and community members who helped shape Seattle’s LGBTQ+ past and present.
Photographs and memorabilia will be displayed in the Back Hallway Exhibit Space at Union Seattle. The materials come from private collections as well as the University of Washington Special Collections, with many items appearing publicly for the first time.
Presented by Come Out Seattle in conjunction with Union Seattle, this exhibit offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the history of queer gathering spaces, celebration, visibility, and resilience in Seattle.
Presented By
Come Out Seattle in conjunction with Union Seattle.
Questions?
For additional information about the exhibit, please contact Nathan Benedict at 206-755-0165.
Seen. Remembered. Celebrated.
Steps to the Future 80/40/20 honors the stories, spaces, and people that have shaped Seattle’s queer history while inviting the community to reflect on the future still being built.
1009 E Union Suite C
Seattle, WA 98122
Community Event