SexMuseums.com Naughty Places to See

The United Kingdom, particularly London, has a few unique institutions and collections that explore sexuality and erotica, though they differ from the large, commercial “Sex Museums” found in places like Amsterdam or New York.

Here are the most notable places:

1. The Vagina Museum (London)

While not strictly an “erotic” museum, it is the world’s first physical museum dedicated to vaginas, vulvas, and the gynaecological anatomy. Its mission is to educate and challenge the shame and stigma surrounding these topics, often through art, science, and cultural exhibits.

• Location: Arches 275-276 Poyser Street, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9RF.
• Focus: Health, education, culture, and feminist history surrounding female anatomy.

2. Museum of Sex Objects (London)

This institution focuses on the cultural history of sexuality, particularly in London, and its exhibits often combine historical artifacts, art, and storytelling.

• Format: It primarily operates through pop-up exhibitions, guided tours (like the “Seductive Soho” tour), and temporary installations, rather than a single, permanent storefront location. You would need to check their official website or social media for current locations and dates.
• Focus: Sexual heroes, moments, and places throughout history, aiming to bring to light forgotten sexual folktales and counter-cultural history.

3. Collections in Major Museums (Historical Context)

Large, national museums in the UK, such as the British Museum and National Museums Liverpool, hold collections related to sex, eroticism, and fertility, often within an academic and historical context:

• The British Museum’s Secretum: Historically, the British Museum maintained a Secretum (Latin for “hidden away”) or “Cupboard 55” to house antique erotic objects, phallocentric artifacts, and shunga (Japanese erotic art) considered too obscene for public display. While this Secretum collection was formally broken up and integrated into the appropriate departmental collections, many of these artifacts are still part of the museum’s overall holdings, though access may be restricted or they may not be on public display.
• National Museums Liverpool: They have a collection that demonstrates how attitudes towards sex and eroticism have changed over the centuries, often viewed through the lens of LGBTQ+ history and social change.

If you are looking for a current, major exhibition on erotic art in London, you would need to check for upcoming pop-up events by the Museum of Sex Objects or special themed exhibitions at major galleries, like the Erotic Art London Exhibition which runs periodically.