Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum

Background

Legislation passed Dec. 27, 2020, establishing two new museums at the Smithsonian: the National Museum of the American Latino and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. Although there is no building yet for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum, the interim director Melanie Adams and her staff are working on virtual exhibitions, programs and fundraising.

Adams was named the Roger Ferguson and Annette Nazareth Director of the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum in 2019 and has temporarily stepped away from that role to head the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. When the museum was established by Congress in late 2020, Lisa Sasaki served as its interim director.

The museum’s 25-member advisory council was established in summer 2021 and includes 19 citizens, the Smithsonian Secretary, one member of the Board of Regents and four members appointed by congressional leadership. The board held its first meeting virtually in October 2021. It advises and assists the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents on matters related to the development of the museum.

The Site-Selection Process

After a nearly two-year extensive site-selection process, the Smithsonian Board of Regents identified two optimal sites for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Oct. 27, 2022: the South Monument and Tidal Basin sites. Legislative action is necessary before the Smithsonian Board of Regents can indicate its final designation. The Smithsonian continues to work with congressional stakeholders on next steps.

Programs and Exhibitions

The museum is integrating and building on programs previously managed by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative. It will continue to advance the representation, understanding and appreciation of women’s history in the United States. It also provides financial resources and collaborates with other Smithsonian museums to expand scholarly research, public programs, digital content, collections and more.

• Becoming Visible: Bringing American Women’s History Into Focus: An interactive digital exhibition available on the museum’s website that invites audiences into the work of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum spotlighting how women’s histories have been recorded, remembered, lost and recovered. Five remarkable stories of women from the past come to life through objects from the Smithsonian’s collection, archival records, recorded interviews and original illustrations and animations. Curators narrate each of the five stories, demonstrating how women’s history is often obscured or forgotten—and the critical need to uncover these stories to create a more accurate and inclusive record of American history.
• American Women Quarters Program: From 2022 through 2025, the American Women Quarters Program celebrates the accomplishments and contributions made by women of the United States with new quarters released by the U.S. Mint in partnership with the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. Recent releases of quarters have honored First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, America’s first prima ballerina Maria Tallchief and astronaut Sally Ride.

For updates on the Smithsonian Amerian Women’s History Museum, visit womenshistory.si.edu. Follow @SmithsonianWomen on Facebook and Instagram.

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SI-60-2024