President-elect, Donald Trump, is being urged to support the creation of a new national women’s museum.
The museum is intended to celebrate the impact of women and their achievements on the history of the United States.
The proposed American Museum of Women’s History would ideally be in Washington D.C. and affiliated with The Smithsonian (above).
Carolyn B. Maloney, Democrat of New York, who first mooted the idea in the late 1990s, stressed the importance of the project:
“How can you empower women if they are not even recognised?” she said.
In November, a report published by a bipartisan Congressional commission supporting the proposal recommended that it should be sited in a prominent position in the capital.
Supporters are hoping the Government will step in to provide land or a building.
Construction costs are estimated to be between $150 million to $180 million and would be achieved via private fund-raising.
The Smithsonian, which already has 19 museums and galleries under its umbrella, has yet to commit. It’s most recent addition is the National Museum of African American History and Culture which opened last year on the National Mall.
Photo credit: Photo by Nate Francis/Unék Photography, Smithsonian “Native Fashion Now” exhibition
