Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Launches Campaign To Gather Stories From the Public

The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum has launched a new digital campaign on its website to gather stories from the public that will help shape the future of the museum. The campaign will ask contributors to share a story of a woman from their family, community or past who has inspired them to think differently. Submitted stories will feed into the museum’s first digital exhibition to launch during Women’s History Month in March 2024.  

Women have contributed to America’s most defining moments—moments that shaped constitutional rights, yielded scientific breakthroughs and created the symbols of the nation. Yet a diversity of women’s stories has not been widely told. The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum will expand the story of America through the often-untold accounts and accomplishments of women—individually and collectively—to better understand the past and inspire the future.

“We are excited to see what the stories that people share will uncover,” said Melanie Adams, interim director of the museum. “This campaign is one of our first steps toward increasing the visibility of women in American history and recognizing the women who have shaped this country—in large and small ways. We look forward to sharing these stories with the world online and eventually in person, hopefully on the National Mall alongside other Smithsonian museums, which together create a rich and diverse picture of America’s past, present and future.”

Approved by Congress in 2020, the museum is now seeking a physical location on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to place women’s history at the center of the American story. The storytelling campaign is one of several upcoming digital initiatives from the museum to engage with audiences and share inspiring content in the lead up to the opening of the physical building.

The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum expands the story of America through the often-untold accounts and accomplishments of women—individually and collectively—to better understand our past and inspire our future. Through new scholarship, diverse viewpoints and innovative forms of exhibition, storytelling and participation, the museum inspires the next generation to create a more equitable world. The legislation creating the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum passed Dec. 27, 2020, and the museum is working with Congress to finalize a site for a building. Connect with the museum at womenshistory.si.edu.