The GLBT Historical Society, whose home is in S.F., just opened the nations's first GLBT History Museum at 4127 18th Street, in what was formerly a retail and laundromat space. The Society previously had a temporary exhibit up last year in a space at the corner of 18th and Castro, featuring artifacts and documents from their archives ranging from costumes and campaign paraphernalia belonging to drag queen-turned-activist Jose Sarria, to a suit belonging to Harvey Milk, to naughty limited edition board games from the 70s.

The new museum has two debut exhibits: "Our Vast Queer Past: Celebrating GLBT History," curated by historians Gerard Koskovich, Don Romesburg and Amy Sueyoshi (which features everything from sex toys to a bit about "Lesbian Sex Wars"; and in the front gallery, "Great Collections of the GLBT Historical Society Archives." Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The Society has taken out a five-year lease on the 1600-square-foot storefront. A potential exhibit that we'd most look forward to (and that we just made up): "Minding Your P's and Q's: A History of Gay Drugs from Poppers to Quaaludes." [Chron]