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“New York Pride: The Fight for Marriage Equality” Will be On Display Beginning May 24, 2025

Exhibit Features Rare Items from First Same-Sex Weddings Held in New York State 

The New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education is proud to announce the unveiling of the New York State Museum’s latest exhibition, New York Pride: The Fight for Marriage Equality. This powerful exhibit chronicles the state’s journey toward marriage equality, beginning with the fight against the stigma surrounding healthcare for gay individuals, particularly during the HIV/AIDS crisis, which helped bring visibility to the lived experiences of the LGBTQ+ community and spotlight the inequalities they faced. This growing awareness and advocacy laid a crucial foundation for broader civil rights advances, ultimately paving the way for the legalization of gay marriage by characterizing it as a matter of dignity, equality, and human rights.

The exhibition will be on view at the New York State Museum, located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, N.Y., from May 24 through February 22, 2026.

On display will be a powerful collection of artifacts that reflect the journey toward equality in New York. Visitors can see the wedding suits and sashes worn by Albert T. Martino Jr. and Harold Lohner III—Albany’s first legally married same-sex couple—at their historic midnight ceremony on July 24, 2011. Also featured is a set of 1970s medical equipment donated by Whitney Young Health, representing a pivotal moment when the organization began expanding services to care for people living with HIV. Adding a behind-the-scenes look at the legislative fight for marriage equality, the exhibit also includes a Motorola cell phone used by activists inside the New York State Capitol to share real-time updates on votes for the Marriage Equality Act. 

Carrie Ross, Director of Exhibitions, said, “Our team has worked diligently to create a comprehensive exhibit that spans more than four decades, accurately portraying the fight for the right to marry. Beginning with the AIDS epidemic, which exposed the discrimination same-sex couples faced in health care, through the first same-sex marriage celebrations in New York State, and concluding with the Supreme Court’s ruling in 2015 that affirmed marriage as a fundamental right in all 50 states, this exhibit offers a powerful opportunity for reflection and celebration.”

The New York State Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

About the New York State Museum:

Established in 1836, the New York State Museum is the oldest and largest public museum in the United States. Home to leading scientists, historians, archeologists, and anthropologists, its collections represent the State’s rich cultural and natural heritage from the past and present, including a staggering 20+ million artifacts spanning 1.1 billion years ago to today. Located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Admission is free. For additional information, visit the New York State Museum website and subscribe to our newsletter.

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