Queer Tartan Museum of Woven Tartans
Help Us Build a real Queer Tartan Museum
We are currently establishing a growing collection of tartan woven for the queer community in the upstairs room of Ye Olde Queer Tartan Museum, housed in a 17th-century building in Forres, in the Scottish Highlands.
We would love your help in creating an archive that celebrates the people, stories and occasions associated with these tartans, both past and present.
Our aim is to document not only the designs themselves, but also the people who created them, the occasions on which they were worn and the personal histories they represent.
What We're Looking For
We welcome small donations, including:
Tartan swatches and fabric samples – particularly rainbow, Pride and other tartans woven for the queer community.
Photographs – of you, your friends or family wearing tartan at weddings, Pride celebrations, parties and other special occasions.
Small tartan objects and keepsakes – ribbons, rosettes, badges, bow ties, handfasting ribbons and other mementoes.
Handmade items – accessories, textile experiments and personal creations.
Ephemera – labels, invitations, programmes, original packaging, certificates and other documents associated with tartan.
You don't need to donate anything precious, antique or expensive. Sometimes the smallest objects tell the best stories.
Tell Us Your Story
Where possible, please include a short description or label explaining:
Who designed or made the tartan or object, if known.
When and where it was worn or used.
The occasion or event associated with it.
Who appears in any accompanying photographs.
Why the object or occasion is meaningful to you.
We are particularly interested in preserving the stories behind tartans that may never have been formally registered or commercially produced.
An Invitation to Tartan Manufacturers and Designers
We would be delighted to hear from tartan mills, weavers, manufacturers, designers and retailers around the world who have produced or supplied tartan woven for the queer community.
If you have created rainbow, LGBT Pride or other tartans specifically for queer organisations, individuals, celebrations or communities, we would love to include examples in our archive.
Small fabric swatches, design records, woven labels, photographs, historical information and details of the original designer or manufacturer would all be greatly appreciated.
We are especially interested in documenting the origins of these tartans, when they were first produced, who commissioned them and how they have been used.
Our ambition is to create a resource that records this particular aspect of textile and queer cultural history.
Donations From Around the World
Contributions are welcome from anywhere in the world. You don't need to live in Scotland or have Scottish ancestry to take part.
We also welcome digital contributions, including photographs, scans of documents and personal stories, even if you don't have a physical object to donate.
Larger Donations and Loans
For larger objects, including kilts, garments or substantial textile collections, please contact us before sending anything.
We may also be able to consider temporary loans where permanent donation isn't appropriate.
As the collection grows, we cannot guarantee that every donated object will be permanently displayed. Contributions may be used for exhibitions, research, documentation or the museum archive.
Photographs, Permissions and Privacy
If you're submitting photographs or personal stories, please let us know whether you're happy for them to be displayed in the museum or published online.
We understand that some contributors may prefer to remain anonymous, and we will respect requests for anonymity.
Please ensure that you have permission to share photographs of other identifiable people, particularly where they may be published.
Get in Touch
If you would like to contribute something to the collection, please email hello@frithalewin.com with a brief description of what you have.
Please contact us before posting physical donations so we can provide delivery details.
Together, we hope to create a lasting record of tartan woven for the queer community, celebrating the people who designed it, made it, wore it and gave it meaning.
Remember to include your contact details and anything else you would like to have kept on record with your donation.
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