Women suffragists marching while carrying banners.

Women's History

Understanding women’s history is integral to understanding the American experience. Although often underrepresented in recorded histories, women helped build the United States of America of today and women will help shape the United States of America of the future.

Explore this page to learn more about objects and resources from the National Museum of American History that can shed light on women's experiences and contributions to the American story.


Videos

The museum offers a range of video content for all ages that highlight women's lives and experiences.

Latinas Talk Latinas: Photo of Jessica Govea and Mireya Loza with Graphic
Latinas Talk Latinas: Learn about the lives of 10 Latinas who have shaped the United States in diverse ways.
The Suffragist still
The Suffragist: Investigate the actions taken and arguments made by suffragists in 1917 as they worked to secure women's right to vote.
Framed multicolor illustration depicting girls from different eras on the left with the title "Girlhood (It's complicated)" and subtitle "Girl Culture" on the righthand side
Girlhood (It's complicated): Learn more about the experiences of girls growing up in the United States.

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Podcasts

Listen to podcasts featuring women's stories.

The first season of the museum's new podcast Collected focuses on Black Feminism, highlighting Black women thinkers and demonstrating the relevance of their ideas today. 

Prototype Online: Innovative Voices features the stories of several female innovators and inventors, including "Patti McGee and Di Dootson Rose, pioneering skateboarders" and "Madame C.J. Walker Had a Good Head for Hair Care, Part 1 and Part 2." 

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Research Women's History

The Museum's Archives Center offers a wide range of archival materials and oral histories that shed light upon women's lives and experiences.

Browse Research Materials


More Smithsonian Resources

Homepage of the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum website

The website for the new American Women's History Museum has a variety of online exhibitions and resources for the study of women's history.

Visit the Website

Homepage of the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation.

The museum's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation offers a resource hub with oral histories, archival materials, blogs, and public programs about women inventors.

Visit the Website