International Museum of Women

The International Museum of Women (I.M.O.W.), originally called the Women's Heritage Museum (W.H.M.), was founded in 1985 when Jeanne McDonnell, Anne Murray, and Jane Van Dusen signed the papers of incorporation. The mission of this social change museum was to value the lives of women around the world. The museum documented women's history through exhibits and sponsored a variety of programs focused on educating the public and improving the status of women. Since the museum lacked a permanent building, the exhibits were loaned to various museums and venues for display. At a 1997 board meeting hosted by Eliabeth Colton, the members decided to take the museum in a new direction. Along with changing the name to the International Museum of Women (I.M.O.W.), the board began plans to secure a permanent exhibit space in San Francisco. Due to lack of funding and the economic downturn a permanent exhibit space was never developed. In 2005, the institution decided to "focus on creating a new kind of museum that would engage and impact women around the world" through a digital environment (International Museum of Women, 2010).

From the description of Women's Heritage Museum/International Museum of Women records, 1887-2005 (bulk 1970-1997) (San Jose Public Library). WorldCat record id: 662787552

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