PLEASE NOTE: The WWU Viking Union building and thus the Viking Union Gallery will be CLOSED Saturday, January 18 through Monday, January 20 for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday.


The University of Washington Libraries' 2024 exhibit "Seattle Gay News Celebrates 50!" - presented at UW's Allen North Library last spring and at Seattle Public Library's Central Library Level 8 Gallery last summer - will be presented at Western Washington University's Viking Union Gallery, in Western's Viking Union (student union) building, 516 High St., Bellingham WA this winter from Jan. 13 to Feb. 20.

"The Seattle Gay News, one of the longest-running LGBTQ+ newspapers in the world, is officially 50!" UW Libraries wrote in promoting their presentation of this exhibit. "Explore the history of a newspaper that has served the Seattle gay community since March 1974, reporting on arts, culture, health, politics, civil rights and more. We celebrate the newspaper by presenting headlines and examples of how it covered the local, national, and international happenings and highlighting how the UW Libraries and the Washington State Library preserve and make it accessible to all."

This exhibit will be on display for Western students, faculty and staff as well as for the general public during regular Viking Union Gallery hours Monday-Friday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The VU Gallery will also be open on Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. during the run of this exhibit to facilitate weekend access to the exhibit.

There will be an opening reception at the Viking Union Gallery on Tuesday, Jan. 14 from 5-7 p.m., with guest speakers. A closing reception will be held at the Viking Union Gallery on Thursday, Feb. 20 from 5-7 p.m. also with guest speakers.

Other planned events during the exhibit will include a special event for Western students related to the exhibit that is expected to be organized in January - date and details to be announced. Also, Bellingham's intergenerational monthly LGBTQ+ potluck, Generations of Pride, sponsored by LGBTQ+ Western Washington University, Bellingham Queer Collective and PFLAG/Bellingham will be held at the Viking Union in conjunction with the exhibit - date and details still to be determined. Reach out to [email protected] for more info.

"This exhibit and preservation effort is a great example of how partners, including our amazing UW Libraries student employees, can work together to accomplish something bigger than each of us could do on our own," said Jessica Albano, UW Libraries news librarian in comments to the Seattle Public Library. "It is also a great reminder of the important role news plays in our communities. Preserving and providing access to these primary sources are critical to learning about and understanding the history of our local communities."

For questions about the exhibit, contact the Viking Union Gallery at [email protected]. For directions, contact the Viking Union information desk at (360) 650-3450.