National Womens History Museum

THE MUSEUM EDUCATES, INSPIRES, EMPOWERS, AND SHAPES THE FUTURE BY INTEGRATING WOMEN'S DISTINCTIVE HISTORY INTO THE CULTURE AND HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.

IN 2022, THE MUSEUM INVESTED IN BRINGING WOMEN'S HISTORY TO THE PUBLIC IN A NEW AND MEANINGFUL WAY THROUGH ITS UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MEMORIAL LIBRARY IN DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON, D.C. OUR PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THE YEAR WAS ON DEVELOPING, DESIGNING AND BUILDING THE MUSEUM'S FIRST PHYSICAL EXHIBITION FOR A MARCH 2023 OPENING AT THE MLK LIBRARY. THE EFFORT WAS LED BY A TEAM OF MAJOR SCHOLARS AND HISTORIANS AS CURATORS, A WORLD-CLASS MUSEUM DESIGN FIRM, AN AWARD-WINNING INTERACTIVE DISPLAY FIRM AND HIGHLY REGARDED MUSEUM DISPLAY FABRICATION FIRM. THE RESULT WAS A TIMELY, VISUALLY EXCITING, ENGAGING AND EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITION, "WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM: BLACK FEMINIST D.C." THIS MAJOR UNDERTAKING RESULTED IN AN ON-TIME OPENING TO ENTHUSIASTIC REVIEWS IN MARCH 2023. THE EXHIBITION HAS ENHANCED OUR ABILITY TO REACH THE PUBLIC WITH PHYSICAL AS WELL AS VIRTUAL CONTENT.

ON AUGUST 26, 2022, THE MUSEUM CELEBRATED WOMEN'S EQUALITY DAY WITH THE PUBLICATION OF A DIGITAL ANTHOLOGY "DETERMINED TO RISE: WOMEN'S HISTORICAL ACTIVISM FOR EQUAL RIGHTS." THE 195-PAGE PUBLICATION WAS THE CULMINATION OF THE MUSEUM'S TWO-YEAR LECTURE SERIES OF THE SAME NAME. IT FEATURES ESSAYS BY 13 PROMINENT WOMEN'S SCHOLARS WHO LOOKED AT THE SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT THROUGH DIFFERENT LENSES, PROVIDING CONTENT THAT INFORMS CURRENT EVENTS. THE E-PUBLICATION IS AVAILABLE VIA THE MUSEUM'S WEBSITE.

THE MUSEUM ALSO CONTINUED ITS COMMITMENT TO FREE, ACCESSIBLE WOMEN'S HISTORY EDUCATION THROUGH A ROBUST VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE THAT INCLUDED ONLINE EXHIBITIONS, A COMPENDIUM OF BIOGRAPHIES, CLASSROOM-READY LESSON PLANS, RESEARCH RESOURCES, VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS, A VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, AUTHOR TALKS AND VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS FOR EDUCATORS' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE MUSEUM'S OPEN RESOURCE, EDUCATIONAL WEBSITE AVERAGED OVER 5 MILLION VISITORS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE IN 2022.

IN 2020, THE MUSEUM ENTERED A MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U.S. MINT AND THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AMERICAN WOMEN'S HISTORY INITIATIVE ON THE AMERICAN WOMEN'S QUARTERS PROGRAM. THE COINS WENT INTO CIRCULATION IN JANUARY 2022 WITH THE ISSUANCE OF FIVE COINS FEATURING MAYA ANGELOU, WILMA MANKILLER, ADELINA OTERO-WARREN, DR. SALLY RIDE AND ANNA MAY WONG. EACH QUARTER WAS SUPPORTED BY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AT LOCAL MUSEUMS, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER VENUES AROUND THE COUNTRY. THE MUSEUM FURTHER SUPPORTED THE SHARING OF STORIES OF THESE ACCOMPLISHED WOMEN THROUGH CLASSROOM-READY MATERIALS AVAILABLE ONLINE AND SPECIAL EVENTS. ADDITIONAL COINS WILL BE ISSUED OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS WITH THE MUSEUM'S CONTINUED LEADERSHIP AND INVOLVEMENT.