Five Museums Putting Women Artists Center Stage

Five destinations, five approaches, one common idea: women artists deserve a central place in the story of art.

Collection galleries at the National Museum of Women in the Arts; Photo by Joy Asico-Smith

Frauenmuseum — Bonn (Germany)

Founded in 1981, the Frauenmuseum was a pioneer in creating a space dedicated to women’s artistic and cultural contributions. Alongside exhibitions, it is also a research center exploring women’s role in art and society.

National Museum of Women in the Arts — Washington, D.C. (USA)

Founded in 1987, NMWA brings together an impressive collection of 5,500 works by around 1,000 women artists. It offers a fascinating journey through art history, seen from a different perspective.

The Women’s Art Collection — Cambridge (UK)

Housed at Murray Edwards College, this collection began in 1990 and now includes more than 600 works by over 300 women artists. Built largely through donations, it has a particularly personal and community-driven history.

Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art — New York (USA)

Part of the Brooklyn Museum since 2007, the center explores feminist art and the connections between creativity, gender, identity, and politics. A must for anyone interested in the history of feminist art.

FAMM — Mougins (France)

The newest of the five, FAMM opened in 2024 in the South of France. Founded by collector Christian Levett, it presents around 100 major works by women artists, from Impressionism to contemporary art.