Smithsonian American Women's History Museum

Last updated
Smithsonian American Women's History Museum
EstablishedDecember 27, 2020 (2020-12-27)
Type History Museum
Founder U.S. Congress
DirectorElizabeth Babcock, PhD
ChairpersonJane Abraham Penny Pritzker
Website womenshistory.si.edu

The Smithsonian American Women's History Museum is a future Smithsonian Institution museum dedicated to women's history, to be located in Washington, DC. The museum was established by Congress as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which became law on December 27, 2020. [1] Development of the museum is expected to take at least ten years. [2]

Lisa Sasaki was appointed as the museum's first interim director in March 2021. [3] [4] Elizabeth C. Babcock was publicly named the museum's director in March 2024 and assumed the role in June of the same year. [5] On August 6, 2025, it was announced that Babcock would be stepping down from her role as director of the museum to become President and CEO of the Adler Planetarium. [6]

In August 2021, the Smithsonian Board of Regents established an advisory council for the planning, design, fundraising, and development of the museum. Founding members of the council include Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie Bunch, fashion designer Tory Burch, actress Lynda Carter, and tennis champion Billie Jean King. [7] [8]

The museum holds Wikipedia Edit-a-thons to expand the coverage of women's history, offering editing training with the help of Wikimedia DC. [9] [10] [11]

On March 27, 2025, President Donald Trump issued an executive order focused on making changes to the Smithsonian Institution and singling out the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum along with the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the American Art Museum for "divisive narratives that distort our shared history." [12]

After this decision, second Trump administration announced a ban on certain topics regarding gender and race, including the existence and history of trans women. [13]

References

  1. ↑ "Highlights of massive COVID-19, government funding law taking effect". KHOU-TV. AP. December 27, 2020. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  2. ↑ Ashlie Rodriguez (March 9, 2021). "'Honoring half the population': Women's History Museum in the works on the National Mall". WSET-TV. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  3. ↑ "Maloney applauds appointment of interim director of the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum" (Press release). Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney. March 12, 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  4. ↑ Peggy McGlone (March 24, 2021). "The Smithsonian is on a massive search for six new museum directors. Their work could reshape the institution for generations". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  5. ↑ Halperin, Julia (March 12, 2024). "Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Names New Director". The Washington Post .
  6. ↑ "Former Smithsonian Exec Tapped To Lead Adler Planetarium, And She Already Knows Her Way Around Museum Campus". WTTW News. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
  7. ↑ "Smithsonian Names Members of the American Women's History Museum Advisory Council" (Press release). Smithsonian Institution. August 20, 2021. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
  8. ↑ McGlone, Peggy (August 20, 2021). "Billie Jean King and Tory Burch named to board of proposed Women's History Museum". The Washington Post . Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Contribute to Wikipedia | Smithsonian American Women's History Museum". womenshistory.si.edu. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  10. ↑ "Wikipedia Edit-a-thon: Enhancing the Discoverability of Women's History | Smithsonian American Women's History Museum". womenshistory.si.edu. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
  11. ↑ Cetrone, Ariel (2024-10-28), English: SAWHM and WMDC Women's Independence and Financial Power edit-a-thon October 2024 (PDF), retrieved 2025-03-23
  12. ↑ "Trump executive order on Smithsonian targets funding for programs with 'improper ideology'". AP News. 2025-03-27. Retrieved 2025-03-29.
  13. ↑ "Museums and parks must remove some items related to race and gender: Executive order". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-04-08.
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