Exhibitions
At least once a year, the Archive sponsors a major exhibit highlighting some aspect of the LGBTQ+ History of the Desert.
June 1-30, 2026
Pride Month Exhibit
Welwood Murray Memorial Library
Visit the LGBTQ+ History & Archives of the Desert exhibit in celebration of Pride Month that is on display at the Welwood Murray Memorial Library in downtown Palm Springs at 100 S. Palm Canyon Drive. The display showcases several items recently added to our permanent collection, as well as items celebrating Greater Palm Springs Pride’s 40th Anniversary.
The Library is open 7 days a week, everyday from 10AM – 6PM with extended hours on Thursday evenings until 8PM. So make sure to stop by the library to see the items on display as we celebratePride!
June 27, 2026-January 4, 2027
Alternative Palm Springs: Other Desert Architectures
Palm Springs Art Museum, Architecture and Design Center
The Archives has partnered with the Palm Springs Art Museum, Architecture and Design Center, in their latest exhibit titled: Alternative Palm Springs: Other Desert Architectures. Curated by Robert J. Kett, PhD, with research assistance by Frank Lopez, the Archives loaned several items from our collection as part of the exhibit.
On display in the Edwards Harris Pavilion at the Architecture and Design Center at 300 S. Palm Canyon Drive, this exhibit assembles unbuilt visions of prominent architects, off-grid designs of the counterculture, and private and public worlds created by the LGBTQ+ community in the twentieth century, offering an expanded view of the desert’s architectural landscape.
Drawn from the museum’s holdings and other local collections, the architectural models, drawings, photography, and objects on view show how Palm Springs’ design identity, far from being settled, has always been in a state of evolution and experimentation.
Past Exhibitions
October 30 – November 2, 2025
UNBRIDLED SPIRIT: Celebrating 35 Years of Leather in Palm Springs
Hotel Zoso, 150 S Indian Canyon Dr., Palm Springs
Curated by Mike Király, MPA, Adjunct Faculty, Social Sciences, Santa Rosa Junior College, and Vice President of the Palm Springs Leather Order of the Desert, the exhibit explored the significant impact of the leather community on the cultural and social landscape of the Coachella Valley over the past 35 years.
October 12 – November 12, 2023
Weekly, Thursday – Sunday THURSDAYS – 2 P.M. TO 8 P.M. FRIDAYS – SUNDAY 12 P.M. TO 6 P.M.
“Out On The Walk” Celebrating the LGBT Honorees on the Palm Springs Walk of the Stars
Since 1992, more than 450 stars honoring notable entertainers, humanitarians, civic leaders, architects, artists, authors, athletes, and veterans have been inducted on the sidewalks throughout downtown and uptown Palm Springs.
Saturday, April 8, 2023, from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm
Sharing Our Desert’s LGBTQ+ History
Our Exhibition, Sharing Our Desert’s LGBTQ+ History, will once again be shown at the Welwood Murray Memorial Library, 100 S. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, on Saturday, April 8, 2023, from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm, in conjunction with the City of Palm Springs 85th Anniversary Celebration!
November 3, 2022 – November 6, 2022
Telling their Stories – Celebrating their Legacy
This second major exhibition of the LGBTQ+ History & Archives of the Desert tells the stories of local LGBT organizations, businesses and events celebrating milestone anniversaries this year.
November 3-6, 2022 – Welwood Murray Memorial Library, 100 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs.
Hours: Thursday, November 3, 4-7:30 pm; Friday, November 4, 12:30-5:30 pm; Saturday, November 5, 10:30 am-5:30 pm; Sunday, November 6, 12:30 pm-4:30 pm
Sharing Our Desert’s LGBTQ+ History, Inaugural Exhibition
A chronological history of events, organizations, and individuals that have helped to make the greater Palm Springs area the welcoming place that it is for LGBTQ+ individuals today.
- November 4 – 7, 2021, displayed at the Welwood Murray Memorial Library during PS Pride.
- March 25-27, 2022, displayed at the Cathedral City Gay Days, in the lobby of the Mary Pickford D’Place Theatre.
- June 1 – 30, 2022, displayed at the Palm Springs Public Library
The Power of Story: How Local Media Put Gay Palm Springs on the Map
June 1 – 30, 2022, showcasing various LGBTQ+ news articles through the decades.
Displayed at the Palm Springs Cultural Center/Camelot Theatres lobby.