New Eyes on Alice: Queering the Museum

The Alice Austen House is a vibrant cultural center that keeps the bold spirit of the early American photographer alive by presenting changing exhibitions of Austen’s pioneering historic photographs and of contemporary photography, providing education programs for students, offering a range of cultural programs for the public. A Victorian Gothic Cottage that was Austen’s home serves as the museum and is located in a nationally landmarked park on the shore of Staten Island near the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge with sweeping views of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. The Alice Austen House and grounds are owned by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, operated by the Friends of Alice Austen House Inc 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and a member of Historic House Trust. The Alice Austen House is a New York City and National Landmark, on the Register of Historic Places and a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s distinctive group of Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios. In 2017, they updated their designation to become a National site of LGBTQ+ History.

Victoria Munro oversees all aspects of staffing, development, and artistic direction at the Alice Austen House. An educator, maker, and curator with a background in Art and Art History, she consults and lectures widely on LGBTQ+ curriculum development and on both historical and contemporary LGBTQ+ interpretations in public and private institutions. Victoria also serves as board president of the Museums Council of New York City and is the founder of the Queer Ecologies Project at the Alice Austen House.

Thomas J. Ruller recently retired from his position as New York State Archivist, a role he held since 2015. An active professional for 35 years, he is the author of several peer-reviewed journal articles and reviews on the use of technology in Archives and the preservation of records in electronic form. Tom has been a consultant for several State governments and other organizations focusing on electronic records management and preservation. He remains actively engaged as a Board Member and Steward of the Archives Partnership Trust.