The Women's Museum of California (WMC) was a nonprofit museum in Balboa Park in San Diego, California, dedicated to women's history. It was founded in 1983. It was first organized under the names the Women's History Reclamation Project and then the Women's History Museum and Educational Center.
In addition to exhibits and programs offered, the WMC also co-founded and hosts the San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame; it was located at Liberty Station and had exhibit space, archives, a library, and a store that features items made exclusively by women. Other museum offerings included speakers and monthly lecture series.
History The museum had its roots with the women's rights activist, Mary B. Maschal who collected items from women's history in her home. The home had formally belonged to a suffragist, Veronica Burke. Maschal had been collecting artifacts relating to women's history since the 1970s. She finally opened her collection to the public in 1983, naming it the Women's History Reclamation Project (WHRP). Maschal felt a passion for collecting artifacts because of her "own disappointment over the lack of knowledge about women's history among the younger generation." Maschal also received a grant in 1984 in order to conduct and collect oral history interviews.
The initial success of Mary Maschal was sparked by the Women's History Reclamation Project. In addition to taking part in UN conferences, Maschal joined the National Organization for Women as a public member while also honing the skills necessary to work well with others in business. To preserve the legacy of past-generational leaders, she started a museum educating others on second-wave feminism. The Women's Museum of California continues to preserve her legacy towards the newer generation.
Maschal moved her collection to the Art Union Building in Golden Hill in 1997. Maschal died in 1998, and Cindy Stankowski and Sue Gonda took over leadership of the museum. In 2000, the museum sponsored a Women's History Poetry contest, which was held at the same time as an exhibit titled In Our Own Voice: women's History through Women's Poetry. The museum co-created the San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2003, the Project changed its name to the Women's History Museum and Educational Center (WHMEC).
The Women's History Museum and Educational Center changed its name again in 2011, this time to the Women's Museum of California (WMofC). They concurrently updated the museum logo. WMC also moved to the Liberty Station Promenade in Point Loma in 2012. The new location was three times larger than their former location at Golden Hill.
In 2025 The Women's Museum of California announced that it merged with the San Diego History Center and it is now called the Center for Women's History, a program of the San Diego History Center. As the Center for Women's History it continues the research, exhibits, and programs of the Women's Museum of California.
Helen Hawkins Memorial Library and Research Archive Part of the museum is a library and archive. The Helen Hawkins Memorial Library and Research Archive includes books and several special collections. Part of the special collections is the Alice Park Archive which collects artifacts from the women's suffrage movement from the late 19th century and early 20th century. The special collections also include papers documenting the career of Lucy Killea, a collection of materials relating to the UN Conference on the Status of Women and the Neff-LeClair Collection of period women's clothing dating from the 18th century on.
The Women's Museum of California collections and archives is now part of the San Diego History Center.
Film Festival The Women's Museum of California offers a Film Festival that showcases women who have worked in the film industry to show their film creations and share their experiences with others. The film festival includes a panel that consists of activists and filmmakers that discuss the representation and roles of women in the film industry environment.
After eight years, the Women's Film Festival ended in 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following year, the Women's Museum began sponsoring a "Women's Series" under the umbrella of the San Diego International Film Festival.
San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame The Hall of Fame was created in 2001, partly through the WMofC and other organizations. Some organizations that have partnered with WMofC for the hall of fame include the Girl Scouts, MANA, A National Latina Organization and Executive Women International. Co-Hosts of the HOF include the Museum, the San Diego County Commission on the Status of Women, San Diego State University's Women's Studies Department, and the Women's Center of the University of California, San Diego. Inductions into the hall of fame take place in March during Women's History Month. Each year about five women are inducted.
The San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame mission is "to acknowledge and honor women who have significantly contributed to the quality of life and who have made outstanding volunteer contributions in San Diego County."
List of inductees +San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame Inductees Name ImageBirth–DeathYearArea of achievement2024Activist2024Empowerer2024Trailblazer(1932–)2024Empowerer2024Spirit of the Hall of Fame(1942–2021)2024Cultural Bridge Builder2024Historian(1956–)2023Anthropologist(1974–)2023 Executive director of the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial counties,2023U.S. Navy Reserves as a public affairs officer; Military journalism, U.S. Marine in Iraq and Afghanistan(1814–1901)2023Cultural bridge builder(1951–)2023Trailblazer, community service2023Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest(1948–)2023Political office holder(1970–)2023Chief executive officer of Athena advocacy group for women(1908–1984)2022First San Diego woman to practice in Federal Court, and the first local woman to practice in the Supreme Court(1956–)2022Judge of the California Superior Court in San Diego(1944–)2022Advocate for bilingual education(1951–)2022Co-founderd Chicano Park in 1970, helped develop it into a cultural National Historic Landmark(1950–2021)2022Administrator for the San Diego Unified School District(1943–)2021Empowerer(1944–)2021Cultural Bridge Builder(1930– 2002)2021Sculptor(1936–2023)2021Historian(1954–)2021Court Judge2021San Diego County as a public defender2020Co-founder of Survivors of Torture, International (SURVIVORS)2020Bridging the gap between Spanish speaking individuals and the English language(1956–)2020Activist - SDSU's School of Education(1944–)2020U.S. Representative for (1935–)2020Historian2020Historian and founder of San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame(1949–)2020Civic leader and founder of San Diego County Women's Hall of Fame2019San Diego County Deputy District Attorney and co-founder of the group "Latinas in the Law." 2019Founding Executive Director of the Oceanside Women's Resource Center(1928–2018)2019Survivor of three Nazi concentration camps(1939–2022)2019First African American woman elected to public office in San Diego County2019LGBT military veteran worked within the Obama administration(1945–)2018Served in both houses of the California legislature(1942–)2018Community activist in the Latino community(1954–2019)2018Labor leader, United Domestic Workers of America(1948–)2018Bridge Builder(1963–)2018Past president of the San Diego County bar association and Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego(1952–)2018Historic preservationist2017Bridge Builder(1948–)2017Empowerer (1939–2022)2017Historian(1948–)2017Trailblazer (1932–2010)2017Empowerer(1953–)2017Activist(1952–)2016Cultural Competent Bridge Builder2016Historian(1950–)2016Trailblazer2016Empowerer(1934–)2016Activist 2015Historian(1916–2010)2015Trailblazer(1926–2023)2015Empowerment(1970–)2015Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame2015Cultural Competent Bridge Builder2015Activist 2014 Trailblazer(1927–)2014Empowerer2014Cultural guardian2014Activist(1922–)2014Cultural Competent Bridge Builder(1953–)2014Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame(1928–2023)2013Empowerer(1945–)2013Trailblazer2013Activist2013Cultural Competent Bridge Builder(1932–1999)2013Cultural guardian(1912–2008)2012Historian(1949–)2012Empowerer(1942–)2012Cultural Competent Bridge Builder.(1947–)2012Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame(1937–)2012Activist(1945–)2012Trailblazer(1932–2010)2011Trailblazer2011Empowerer(1952–)2011Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame(1931–)2011Cultural Competent Bridge Builder(1920–2013)2011Historian(1937–)2011Activist(1938–)2010Empowerer(1944–)2010Trailblazer(1950–)2010Activist(1909–1994)2010Cultural Competent Bridge Builder(1934–2010)2010Historian(1855–1937)2009Empowerer2009Historian(1937–)2009Trailblazer(1918–2009)2009Cultural Competent Bridge Builder.(1983–)2009Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame(1947–)2009Activist(1945–)2009Activist(1951–)2008Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame2008Activist(1937–)2008Empowerer(1925–2006)2008Historian(1941–)2008Trailblazer(1958–2019)2008Cultural Competent Bridge Builder.(1882–1972)2007Trailblazer(1906–1994)2007Cultural Competent Bridge Builder(1949–)2007Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame(1836–1932)2007Empowerer(1928–)2007Empowerer(1910–2008)2007Historian(1927–2014)2007Activist2006Trailblazer(1936–2024)2006Activist2006Cultural Competent Bridge Builder(1949–)2006Empowerer(1951–2012)2006Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame(1857–1940)2006Trailblazer(1948–)2006Cultural Competent Bridge Builder(1917–2008)2005Historian(1940–)2005Cultural Competent Bridge Builder(1930–2011)2005Activist(1930–1989)2005Empowerer(1934–)2005Trailblazer(1925–2017)2005Spirit Of The Women's Hall Of Fame(1950–2020)2004Activist(1919–2009)2004Historian(1923–2019)2004Trailblazer(1928–2003)2004Cultural Competent Bridge Builder(1924–1998)2004Historian(1925–2002)2004Activist(1918–2011)2004Trailblazer(1907–2003)2003Activist(1919–2020)2003Trailblazer(1937–2013)2003Activist(1933–2013)2003Cultural Competent Bridge Builder(1928–)2003Empowerer(1926–2020)2003History2003Trailblazer(1932–1991)2003Activist; (1904–2000)2002Trailblazer(1953–)2002Empowerer(1924–2014)2002Historian(1922–2017)2002Activist(1928–2019)2002Cultural Competent Bridge Builder. Founder of IMPACT, a grass-roots civil rights organization, and of Comision Femenil Mexicana Nacional
References
Additional sources
External links Official site Mary Maschal (video)