World AIDS Museum and Educational Center facts for kids
The World AIDS Museum and Educational Center is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It first opened its doors on May 15, 2014.
History of the Museum
The idea for the World AIDS Museum and Educational Center started with a support group called Pozitive Attitudes. This group met at the Pride Center in Fort Lauderdale. Steve Stagon, who led the group, thought of creating a museum about AIDS. He believed South Florida was the right place because many people there had been affected by the AIDS epidemic.
Opening the Museum
Before finding a permanent home, the museum had smaller exhibits in churches and at the Pride Center. On November 7, 2013, famous basketball player Magic Johnson visited the museum's chosen location. He helped dedicate the space. This was 22 years after he shared his own HIV status with the world. The museum officially opened to the public in May 2014.
The World AIDS Museum and Educational Center has a main gallery. It shows a timeline of the AIDS epidemic. There are also exhibits about how people felt about the disease. A traveling photo exhibit called The Face of HIV has been shown there. The museum also offers educational programs for schools and community groups. As of August 2025, Dr. Requel Lopes is the Executive Director. The museum is now located at 1350 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale.
Larry Kramer, a writer and activist who worked to raise awareness about AIDS, spoke at the museum on March 9, 2017. This was part of an exhibit honoring his important work.
Traveling AIDS Museum Project
There is also a separate nonprofit organization called The AIDS Museum. This group is based in Newark, New Jersey. It has a collection of art related to AIDS. It also features art made by artists living with HIV. This organization was started in December 2004.
Past Exhibits
The AIDS Museum in Newark has shown several traveling exhibits:
- An art exhibit called "Eyes of Mercy" featured art by HIV-positive artists. It was shown at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, from November 11 to December 1, 2006.
- The museum also helped organize an exhibit called "Edge of Light: Art in the Age of AIDS." This was at the Paul Robeson Center Gallery at Rutgers Newark. It ran from July to December 2007.
- A project called "Positive Still: Artists Respond to AIDS" was held at the World Culture Open Gallery in New York. This project included five pieces from the AIDS Museum's main collection.
There are other AIDS museums around the world. One is in Thailand, and another is being developed in South Africa.
