Women's Museum of California facts for kids

The Women's Museum of California (WMC) is a special museum in San Diego, California. It's a non-profit organization, meaning it doesn't aim to make money. Instead, it focuses on sharing the amazing stories of women throughout history.

The museum started in 1983. It was first known by other names, like the Women's History Reclamation Project. Besides its cool exhibits and programs, the museum also helped create and now hosts the San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame. You can find the museum at Liberty Station. It has space for exhibits, a place to keep old records, a library, and a shop with items made by women. The museum also hosts speakers and monthly talks.

A Look Back: The Museum's History

The idea for the museum came from women's rights activist Mary B. Maschal. She loved collecting items about women's history in her home. Her home used to belong to Veronica Burke, a suffragist, who fought for women's right to vote. Mary Maschal had been collecting these items since the 1970s.

She finally opened her collection to the public in 1983. She called it the Women's History Reclamation Project (WHRP). Mary was passionate about collecting because she was sad that younger people didn't know much about women's history. In 1984, she even got a special grant. This helped her collect stories from people by interviewing them.

Mary Maschal's first project was a big success. She took part in UN meetings. She also joined the National Organization for Women and learned how to work well with others. To make sure the stories of women leaders from the past were remembered, she started the museum. The Women's Museum of California still works to keep her dream alive for new generations.

In 1997, Mary moved her collection to the Art Union Building in Golden Hill. Mary passed away in 1998. After her passing, Cindy Stankowski and Sue Gonda took over leading the museum. In 2000, the museum held a Women's History Poetry contest. This happened at the same time as an exhibit called "In Our Own Voice: Women's History through Women's Poetry." In 2001, the museum helped create the San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame. In 2003, the project changed its name to the Women's History Museum and Educational Center (WHMEC).

The museum changed its name again in 2011 to the Women's Museum of California (WMofC). They also updated their logo. In 2012, the WMC moved to the Liberty Station Promenade in Point Loma. This new spot was three times bigger than their old location in Golden Hill!

The Helen Hawkins Memorial Library and Research Archive

A special part of the museum is its library and archive. The Helen Hawkins Memorial Library and Research Archive has many books and unique collections. One of these is the Alice Park Archive. It holds items from the women's suffrage movement. This movement fought for women's right to vote in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Other special collections include papers from the career of Lucy Killea. She was an important public figure. There's also a collection of materials about the UN Conference on the Status of Women. Plus, the Neff-LeClair Collection has women's clothing from the 1700s up to today.

Women in Film: The Film Festival

The Women's Museum of California used to host a Film Festival. This festival showed movies made by women in the film industry. It was a chance for them to share their creations and talk about their experiences. The festival also had a panel. Activists and filmmakers would discuss how women are shown and what roles they have in the movie world.

After eight years, the Women's Film Festival ended in 2021. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on movies. The next year, the museum started supporting a "Women's Series." This series is now part of the larger San Diego International Film Festival.

San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame

The San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame started in 2001. The Women's Museum of California helped create it with other groups. Some partners included the Girl Scouts and MANA, A National Latina Organization. The Hall of Fame is co-hosted by the museum, the San Diego County Commission on the Status of Women, and local universities.

New women are added to the Hall of Fame every March. This is during Women's History Month. Each year, about five women are chosen. The Hall of Fame's goal is to "honor women who have greatly improved life in San Diego County." It also celebrates those who have given a lot of their time as volunteers.

Recent Inductees

San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame Inductees

Name	Image	Birth–Death	Year	Area of achievement	Ref(s)
Huma Ahmed-Ghosh			2023	Anthropologist
Norma Chavez-Peterson			2023	Executive director of the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial counties
Amy Forsythe			2023	U.S. Navy Reserves public affairs officer; Military journalism
Juana Machado			2023	Cultural bridge builder
Patricia A. McQuater			2023	Trailblazer, community service
Mary Salas		(1948–	2023	Political office holder
Holly Smithson			2023	Chief executive officer of Athena advocacy group for women
Marie M. Herney			2022	First San Diego woman to practice in Federal Court and Supreme Court
Tamila Ipema			2022	Judge of the California Superior Court in San Diego
Rosalia Salinas			2022	Advocate for bilingual education
Josephine Talamantez			2022	Co-founded Chicano Park in 1970, helped develop it into a cultural National Historic Landmark
Francine Foster Williams			2022	Administrator for the San Diego Unified School District
Susan Jester			2021	Empowerer
Margaret Iwanaga Penrose			2021	Cultural Bridge Builder
Niki de Saint Phalle		(1930– 2002)	2021	Sculptor
Rosalie Schwartz			2021	Historian
Randa Trapp			2021	Court Judge
Geneviéve Jones-Wright			2021	San Diego County public defender
Anderson, KathiKathi Anderson			2020	Co-founder of Survivors of Torture, International (SURVIVORS)
Buell, LupeLupe Buell			2020	Bridging the gap between Spanish speaking individuals and the English language
Byrd, Nola ButlerNola Butler Byrd			2020	Activist - SDSU's School of Education
Davis (politician), SusanSusan Davis (politician)		(1944–	2020	U.S. Representative for California's 53rd congressional district
Engstrand, IrisIris Engstrand		(1935–	2020	Historian
Gonda, SueSue Gonda			2020	Historian and founder of San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame
Reynolds, Olivia PuentesOlivia Puentes Reynolds			2020	Civic leader and founder of San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame
Garcia, LiliaLilia Garcia			2019	San Diego County Deputy District Attorney and co-founder of "Latinas in the Law"
O'Harra, ColleenColleen O'Harra			2019	Founding Executive Director of the Oceanside Women's Resource Center
Sax, Ruth GoldschmiedovaRuth Goldschmiedova Sax			2019	Survivor of three Nazi concentration camps
Smith, DorothyDorothy Smith			2019	First African American woman elected to public office in San Diego County
Wilson, BridgitBridgit Wilson			2019	LGBT military veteran worked within the Obama administration
Alpert, DedeDede Alpert		(1945–	2018	Served in both houses of the California legislature
Andrade, NellieNellie Andrade			2018	Community activist in the Latino community
Jeffers, FahariFahari Jeffers			2018	Labor leader, United Domestic Workers of America
Jahnkow, CarolCarol Jahnkow			2018	Bridge Builder
Malana, JerrilynJerrilyn Malana			2018	Past president of the San Diego County bar association and Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego
Martinelli, JaniceJanice Martinelli			2018	Historic preservationist
Ahmed, DilkhwazDilkhwaz Ahmed			2017	Bridge Builder
Rowell Council, CarolCarol Rowell Council		(1948–	2017	Empowerer
Davies, DarleneDarlene Davies			2017	Historian
Gonzalez, IrmaIrma Gonzalez		(1948–	2017	Trailblazer
Nower, JoyceJoyce Nower		(1932–2010)	2017	Empowerer
Valasquez, LiliaLilia Valasquez			2017	Activist
Avery, Sally WongSally Wong Avery			2016	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Garcia, MariaMaria Garcia			2016	Historian
Kehoe, ChristineChristine Kehoe		(1950–	2016	Trailblazer
Lou, ElizabethElizabeth Lou			2016	Empowerer
Schulze, Evonne SeronEvonne Seron Schulze			2016	Activist
Acosta, Viviana EnriqueViviana Enrique Acosta			2015	Historian
Figueredo, AnitaAnita Figueredo		(1916–2010)	2015	Trailblazer
Josefowitz, NatashaNatasha Josefowitz			2015	Empowerment
Kim, Lee AnnLee Ann Kim			2015	Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame
Lewis, StarlaStarla Lewis			2015	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Moser, SarahSarah Moser			2015	Activist
Aker, Dianne (Dee)Dianne (Dee) Aker			2014	Trailblazer
Boyce, LorraineLorraine Boyce			2014	Empowerer
Lopez, SoniaSonia Lopez			2014	Cultural guardian
Ortiz, RachaelRachael Ortiz			2014	Activist
Szekely, DeborahDeborah Szekely		(1922–	2014	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Walker, BreeBree Walker		(1953–	2014	Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame
Boone, Betty EvansBetty Evans Boone			2013	Empowerer
Carroll, ConstanceConstance Carroll			2013	Trailblazer
Castro, IrmaIrma Castro			2013	Activist
Cudal, Aurora SorianoAurora Soriano Cudal			2013	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Hom, DorothyDorothy Hom			2013	Cultural guardian
Booth, JaneJane Booth			2012	Historian
Bry, BarbaraBarbara Bry		(1949–	2012	Empowerer
Cheatom, Makeda DreadMakeda Dread Cheatom		(1942–	2012	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder.
Croce, IngridIngrid Croce		(1947–	2012	Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame
Hoiberg, AnneAnne Hoiberg			2012	Activist
Schenk, LynnLynn Schenk		(1945–	2012	Trailblazer
Costanza, MargaretMargaret Costanza		(1932–2010)	2011	Trailblazer
Forman, JudyJudy Forman			2011	Empowerer
Frye, DonnaDonna Frye		(1952–	2011	Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame
Harris, Clara M.Clara M. Harris			2011	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Longenecker, MarthaMartha Longenecker		(1920–2013)	2011	Historian
Sanchez, RitaRita Sanchez		(1937–	2011	Activist
Harris, GloriaGloria Harris			2010	Empowerer
McConnell, JudithJudith McConnell			2010	Trailblazer
Reznik, VivianVivian Reznik			2010	Activist
Rodriguez, LauraLaura Rodriguez		( –1994)	2010	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Sandoval, AnnaAnna Sandoval			2010	Historian
Baker, CharlotteCharlotte Baker		(1855–1937)	2009	Empowerer
Cheng, Li-RongLi-Rong Cheng			2009	Historian
Craigwell, JoanJoan Craigwell			2009	Trailblazer
Dabbs, EdithEdith Dabbs		( –2009)	2009	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder.
Henderson, MoniqueMonique Henderson		(1983–	2009	Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame
Ugarte, MarisaMarisa Ugarte			2009	Activist
Yavenditti, KateKate Yavenditti			2009	Activist
Dumanis, BonnieBonnie Dumanis		(1951–	2008	Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame
Hampton, SylviaSylvia Hampton			2008	Activist
McDonald, MarianneMarianne McDonald		(1937–	2008	Empowerer
Munk, JudithJudith Munk		(1925–2006)	2008	Historian
Riggs, ElizabethElizabeth Riggs			2008	Trailblazer
Vigneault, KarenKaren Vigneault			2008	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder.
Benchley, BelleBelle Benchley		(1882–1972)	2007	Trailblazer
Breed, ClaraClara Breed		(1906–1994)	2007	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Embrey, JoanJoan Embrey		(1949–	2007	Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame
Scripps, EllenEllen Scripps		(1836–1932)	2007	Empowerer
Shaffer, PatriciaPatricia Shaffer			2007	Empowerer
Vasquez, SaraSara Vasquez			2007	Historian
Winter, TanjaTanja Winter			2007	Activist
Canon, NonaNona Canon			2006	Trailblazer
Dilno, JeriJeri Dilno			2006	Activist
Gonzales, LucyLucy Gonzales			2006	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Lindholm, DeborahDeborah Lindholm			2006	Empowerer
Ride, SallySally Ride		(1951–2012)	2006	Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame
Sessions, KateKate Sessions		(1857–1940)	2006	Trailblazer
Walker, AshleyAshley Walker			2006	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Clarke, EvelynEvelyn Clarke			2005	Historian
Smith-Cooper, AlyceAlyce Smith-Cooper			2005	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Ewing, AnneAnne Ewing		(1930–2011)	2005	Activist
Hawkins, Helen S.Helen S. Hawkins			2005	Empowerer
Heifetz, RuthRuth Heifetz			2005	Trailblazer
Hohlmayer, AliceAlice Hohlmayer		(1925–	2005	Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame
Armstead, RuletteRulette Armstead			2004	Activist
Enrique, HerminiaHerminia Enrique			2004	Historian
Howell, DorisDoris Howell			2004	Trailblazer
Kroc, JoanJoan Kroc		(1928–2003)	2004	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Maschal, MaryMary Maschal		(1924–1998)	2004	Historian
McClellan, GloriaGloria McClellan			2004	Activist
Stern, JeanJean Stern			2004	Trailblazer
Barnes, AliceAlice Barnes			2003	Activist
Burbidge, E. MargaretE. Margaret Burbidge		(1919–	2003	Trailblazer
Johnson, GloriaGloria Johnson		(1937–2013)	2003	Activist
McClure, ArdeliaArdelia McClure			2003	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder
Moreno de Lopez, LiliaLilia Moreno de Lopez			2003	Empowerer
Neff-LeClair, MidgeMidge Neff-LeClair			2003	History
Reeves, NancyNancy Reeves			2003	Trailblazer
Yip, BeverlyBeverly Yip		(d.1991)	2003	Activist
Bradley, MadgeMadge Bradley		(1904–2000)	2002	Trailblazer
Daba, AlemiAlemi Daba			2002	Empowerer
Dumas, JaneJane Dumas			2002	Historian
Killea, LucyLucy Killea		(1922–2017)	2002	Activist
Molina de Pick, GraciaGracia Molina de Pick		(1928–2019)	2002	Cultural Competent Bridge Builder. Founder of IMPACT, a grass-roots civil rights organization, and of Comision Femenil Mexicana Nacional