Our Favourite Museums for Women

Collected by Evelyn Hannon, Diana Eden and Carolyn Ray

Museums – Some JourneyWomen love ’em and some won’t go near them when they travel. We’ve compiled a list of 15 museums that might be fun to check out. They are all female-centred and will, in some cases, amuse and in others teach you a bit more about the culture you are visiting.

These museums show that the road less travelled might lead to smaller museums focusing on one subject matter that appeals to you. It could be salt and pepper shakers, agricultural machinery, or pottery; you’d be amazed at what collections exist. (There’s even one famousmuseum in Reykjavik, Iceland, dedicated to a certain body part!)

Whether you love food, dance, costume, cowgirls, or shoes, here are some museums catering to these specific tastes, and all are wheelchair accessible!

15 Museums for Women

1. Textile Museum – Toronto, Canada

Are you interested in the history of fabrics? Do you love to decorate with more than modern design? Imagine a small space filled to the brim with 12,000 objects from more than 200 countries and regions. This charming collection housed in Toronto’s Textile Museum celebrates cultural diversity via traditional fabrics, garments, carpets, beadwork, and basketry. Their tiny museum shop offers unique gifts and books, as well as one-of-a-kind fashion accessories and home decorations by Canadian and international artisans. Website: https://textilemuseum.ca/

2. The International Women’s Air & Space Museum – Cleveland, Ohio, USA

This museum calls to all JourneyWomen! It is located in the terminal of Burke Lakefront Airport (Cleveland), only seconds from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Currently, the museum has on display the achievements of a number of women who have made an impact in air and space including Amelia Earhart and Katherine Wright, sister to the Flying Wright brothers. Free public tours are offered every Saturday at 1:00 PM. Website: https://iwasm.org/wp-blog/

3. Museum of Broken Relationships — Zagreb, Croatia and Chang Mai, Thailand

The Museum of Broken Relationships is a physical and virtual public space created with the sole purpose of treasuring and sharing heartbreak stories and symbolic possessions. Museum of Broken Relationships is an original creative art project conceived by Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić in 2006. It has since taken thousands of people on an empathetic journey around the world, challenging our ideas about heritage. Its original permanent location was founded in Zagreb. In 2010 it won the EMYA Kenneth Hudson Award as the most innovative and daring museum project in Europe. Website: https://brokenships.com/

4. Museum of Chocolate – Barcelona, Spain

Is there a woman in the world who doesn’t love chocolate? This Barcelona chocolate museum is located in a former Sant Agusti monastery and it takes visitors on a journey through the origins of chocolate, its arrival in Europe, its medicinal properties and its nutritional value (but thankfully, talks little about calories). You can expect to see intricate chocolate sculptures, an assortment of antique chocolate-making equipment, a shop (yum) and on-site chocolate workshops for you, your girlfriends and any kiddies you have with you. It sounds like great fun for Journeywoman! Website: https://museuxocolata.cat/

5. National Museum of Women in the Arts – Washington, DC, USA

Founded in 1987 by Wilhelmina Holladay (Billie), this museum is the only museum in the world dedicated exclusively to the work of female artists. The permanent collection is comprised of more than 3,000 works and provides a comprehensive survey of art by women from the 16th century to the present with new acquisitions added regularly. They also have live performances, plus literary, music and film series. P.S. The Museum Shop is a wonderful place to browse for that special treasure to take home with you. P.P.S. We suggest you make time for afternoon tea surrounded by the fine art in their lovely Mezzanine Cafe. Website: https://nmwa.org/

6. The Vietnamese Women’s Museum – Hanoi, VietNam

This ‘ode to women’ located in central Hanoi was founded in 1987. It houses a collection of more than 25,000 objects, photos, and documents that reflect Vietnam’s cultural diversity and women’s significant contributions to the nation’s development. Highlighted are women’s participation in the VietNam War, the role of female street vendors, original ethnic costumes, traditional handicrafts created by women as well as artifacts owned by famous Vietnamese women. P.S. For those travelling with kiddies there is a ‘fun’ play area to entertain the little ones. Website: http://www.baotangphunu.org.vn/

7. Susan B. Anthony Museum – Rochester, NY, USA

The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House shares the story of suffragette, Susan B. Anthony’s lifelong struggle to gain voting rights for American women and equal rights for all. It’s housed in the home she lived in and contains photographs, artifacts and research materials directly related to her life and work. P.S. When she travelled, Susan B. Anthony, was recognized by two trademarks: her red shawl and her alligator “purse.” You can see the famous alligator bag she carried across the United States and to Europe when you visit this museum. Website: https://susanb.org/

8. Fashion at Victoria and Albert Museum – London, England

The fashion component of the Victoria and Albert Museum is a mini-museum fully capable of standing on its own. Spanning four centuries, the V&A’s Fashion collection is the largest and most comprehensive collection of dress in the world. Key items in the collection include rare 17th-century gowns, 18th-century ‘mantua’ dresses, 1930s eveningwear, 1960s daywear, and post-war couture. Add to these a growing number of pieces from 21st-century designers and every woman will come away with extraordinary Fashion 101 tidbits. P.S. You absolutely cannot leave this museum without taking time for a good browse in their museum shop. Website: www.vam.ac.uk/page/f/fashion/

9. Bata Shoe Museum – Toronto, Canada

Women will almost certainly appreciate the treasures of this charming shoe museum. Founded by Sonia Bata, wife of Thomas Bata, founder of Bata Shoes, it houses hundreds of pairs of footwear (from a collection numbering over 10,000). Styles from 4,000 years of history range from Chinese bound foot shoes and ancient Egyptian sandals to chestnut-crushing clogs, glamourous platforms, and shoes owned by modern-day celebrities. A visit to the Bata Shoe Museum shop yields books about shoes, many objects in the shape of a shoe, or anything decorated with shoe images. Website: www.batashoemuseum.ca

10. Women’s Museum – Dubai, United Arab, Emirates

This is the Middle East’s first women’s museum, founded in 2012 by Rafia Ghubash, one of the UAE’s most influential women. “Women here were empowered a long time ago, but we haven’t had a chance to tell our story,” said Ghubash. “Don’t think because we are covered we are not empowered,’ she says. This new museum is a centre of documentation and exhibition which focuses on the historical and cultural roles of women in the UAE. It’s concerned with every aspect of women’s experience in literature, art, culture, and heritage. It also aims to showcase the many facets of the daily lives of women of the UAE. This should make for a fascinating visit! Website: http://womenmuseumuae.com/eng/

 11. History of Broadway Museum — New York City, USA

The History of Broadway Museum is right off Times Square. It is a must not only for Broadway aficionados but also for anyone who has ever performed in a Broadway

show in high school or hummed ‘You’re the One That I Love’ (Grease). Presented in a highly theatrical style, it allows the viewer to feel immersed in shows and their sets, with areas specifically set up for picture taking. It covers three floors and many decades and will continue introducing items from the most recent Tony-nominated shows. The museum is wheelchair accessible. Website: https://www.themuseumofbroadway.com/about

13. The Flamenco Dance Museum – Seville, Spain

The Flamenco Dance Museum was created in 2006 by dancer Cristina Hoyos Panadero, she remains its founder and artistic director today. Awarded many honors, she has also received “The Added Value Award to Culture and the Arts” from the Transforma Spain Foundation, which advances the need to recognize and encourage the contribution that people over 55 make to society. Situated in an 18th-century palace house a short distance from the Seville Cathedral, it is the first and only museum in the world dedicated to flamenco dance. The house revolves around a traditional-style patio, on which is a stage where 3 dancers, 2 singers, and 1 guitarist perform the most authentic flamenco in the city. On the second floor is the gallery, where you can see temporary exhibitions of painting, sculpture, or photography. The museum also offers flamenco “experiences” such as classes.  Website: https://museodelbaileflamenco.com/index.php/en/home/

 14. The Dog Collar Museum, Kent, England

Just one of the attractions at Leeds Castle, the Dog Collar Museum features 130 historic pieces, with the oldest, which once belonged to a herding mastiff, dating back to the late 15th century. The display of puppy attire documents the history of canine accessories from medieval times. Website: https://leeds-castle.com/attraction/dog-collar-museum/

15. The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame — Fort Worth, Texas, USA

The Cowgirl Museum honors and celebrates women, past and present, whose lives exemplify the courage, resilience, and independence that helped shape the American West, and fosters an appreciation of the ideals and spirit of self-reliance they inspire.” Website: www.cowgirl.net

P.S. In the 1940s and Fifties, cowgirl Dale Evans and her cowboy hubby, Roy Rogers starred in countless western movies. A collection documenting their work and life together is now available at the Autry Museum in Los Angeles. The Autry Museum Store carries a vast array of unique items—from books to music to fine art—including a large selection of Native American jewelry, pottery, and baskets.  

More Museums to Enjoy