Women's Museum of California facts for kids

The Women's Museum of California (WMC) is a special museum in Balboa Park, San Diego, California. It's a place where you can learn all about the amazing things women have done throughout history. It started in 1983 and is a non-profit organization, meaning it's not run for money.

Besides its exhibits and programs, the museum also helped create the San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame. The museum has a space at Liberty Station where you can find exhibits, old documents, a library, and a shop. The shop sells items made only by women. The museum also hosts speakers and monthly talks.

Discovering Women's History

The idea for the museum came from a woman named Mary B. Maschal. She was an activist who cared a lot about women's rights. Mary started collecting items related to women's history in her own home. Her home used to belong to Veronica Burke, a suffragist who worked for women's right to vote.

Mary had been collecting these historical 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 received a grant to collect oral history interviews. This meant recording people's stories about their lives.

Mary Maschal's project became very successful. She took part in UN conferences and joined the National Organization for Women. She wanted to make sure that the achievements of women from the past were remembered. The Women's Museum of California continues her important work today.

The Museum's Journey

In 1997, Mary moved her collection to the Art Union Building in Golden Hill. Mary Maschal 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. Then, 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 location was three times bigger than their old one in Golden Hill.

The Helen Hawkins Memorial Library and Research Archive

The museum also has a special library and archive. This is called the Helen Hawkins Memorial Library and Research Archive. It has many books and unique collections. One collection is the Alice Park Archive, which has items from the women's suffrage movement. This movement was about women getting the right to vote in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Other special collections include papers from Lucy Killea's career. There are also materials about the UN Conference on the Status of Women. Plus, the Neff-LeClair Collection has women's clothing from the 1700s onwards.

Women in Film

The Women's Museum of California used to have 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 experiences. The festival also had a panel where activists and filmmakers talked about how women are shown and what roles they have in the film world.

After eight years, the Women's Film Festival ended in 2021. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The next year, the Women's Museum started supporting a "Women's Series" as part of the San Diego International Film Festival.

San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame

The San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame was started in 2001. The Women's Museum of California helped create it along with other groups. Some of these partners include the Girl Scouts, MANA, A National Latina Organization, and Executive Women International.

The Hall of Fame honors women who have made a big difference in San Diego County. They recognize women who have improved life there and given a lot through volunteering. New women are added to the Hall of Fame every year in March, during Women's History Month. Usually, about five women are chosen each year.

Images for kids

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  Mary Salas at Clinton Rally

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  Niki de Saint Phalle 1984, by Erling Mandelmann

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  Geneviéve Jones-Wright, American lawyer from California

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  Representative Susan Davis Official Portrait

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  Faculty photo of Iris H. Wilson (Iris Higbie Wilson Engstrand) from the 1963 Long Beach City College Yearbook

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  State Senator Dede Alpert.jpg

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  Judge Irma Gonzalez

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  Christine T. Kehoe

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  Lee Ann Kim at White Sands, New Mexico

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  Deborah Szekely

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  San Diego City Councilmember Barbara Bry

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  Lynn Schenk, former Congresswoman from California

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  Bonnie Dumanis

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  Kate Sessions.jpg

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  Portrait of San Diego City Council member Lucy Killea