The first vagina museum in the world has finally opened in London. The Vagina Museum is located in Camden’s Stables Market and looks to educate visitors on the gynaecological anatomy and health.
The new attraction was made possible through a fundraising campaign, which raised nearly $50,000 from more than 1,000 people.
As the website explains, there is a penis museum in Iceland, but until now there was “no vagina equivalent anywhere in the world”.
The museum’s creators were “pretty muffed”, and so launched the project in 2017 with pop-ups, exhibitions and events around the UK.
Penis museum in Iceland inspired The Vagina Museum
Yesterday we had a quim-azing 2000 visitors on our first day! Absolutely blown away by the support we've had so far 🥰
— Vagina Museum (@vagina_museum) November 17, 2019
Museum director Florence Schechter told The Guardian: “I discovered there was a penis museum in Iceland but no vagina equivalent anywhere else, so I decided to make one.
“I just love the vag. I am a bisexual woman.”
The Vagina Museum hopes to spread knowledge and raise awareness of the gynaecological anatomy and health, and give people the confidence to talk about them.
It also looks to erase any stigma, challenge heteronormative and cisnormative behaviour, and act as a forum for feminism, women’s rights, and the LGBT+ and intersex community.
Muff Busters: Vagina Myths and How To Fight Them
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The museum’s exhibition opened on November 16 and is called ‘Muff Busters: Vagina Myths and How To Fight Them’. It will be available to view online from late November.
It examines the misconceptions and myths surrounding the vagina, including cleanliness, appearance, periods, sex and contraception.
“[There] was a statistic that one in five adult women think they have to remove a tampon to urinate – that blew my mind,” said curator Sarah Creed.
“There’s more fear than there is inquiry because people do not want to be seen as inappropriate, but they are part of the conversation,” she added.
Museum examines the myths surrounding the vagina
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“People have wives or daughters and friends – people with gynaecological anatomy – and in order to interact with loved ones in an effective way, they should know more about them.”
Creed also said the exhibition will be accompanied by live performances and events. There will also be educational material and a gift shop selling vulva-themed merchandise.
Elsewhere, check out Blooloop’s guide to shocking museum exhibitions, where we ask if they’re courting controversy or tackling important issues.
Image: Nicole Rixon / The Vagina Museum
