Leather Archives & Museum
The Leather Archives & Museum (LA&M) is a community archives, library, and museum located in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. Founded by Chuck Renslow and Tony DeBlase in 1991, it works to make leather, kink, BDSM, and fetish history and culture accessible through research, preservation, education and community engagement. Renslow and DeBlase founded the museum at the height of the AIDS crisis, during which the leather and fetish communities' history was frequently lost or intentionally suppressed and discarded.
Chicago was at the forefront of the development of a leather subculture in the 1950's, 60's and 70's. The Gold Coast, one of the country's first gay leather bars, opened in 1959, and the Second City Motorcycle Club, founded in 1965, was one of the earliest gay motorcycle clubs that soon proliferated throughout the US. (There were three motorcycle clubs in Chicago for many years, including the Chicago Knight MC (1971) and the Pride Chicago MC .Other early fetish organizations founded in Chicago include the Chicago Hellfire Club (1970) and MAFIA (1978). The International Mr. Leather contest began in Chicago in 1979, and continues each year over Memorial Day Weekend.
LA&M's archival collections include organizational records from leather and fetish organizations in Chicago and around the world, as well as personal papers, photographs and numerous artifacts. The collections also include rare collections of magazines and newsletters, most of which exist only here. There is also a library of published books for in-house reading and consultation.
The LA&M is a leading conservator of queer erotic art, including the largest collection of works by Chicago artist Dom Orejudos (Etienne) whose death prompted the creation of the organization.
The museum is open to patrons 18 years of age and over. To use materials in the archival collections, please contact the archivist in advance of your visit to help us prepare the materials you wish to use. Note that access to the building requires navigating steps to get into the building and to move between two floors.
