The Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future, Building

Title

The Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future, Building

Creator

Bonner, Cathy

Joseph, Wendy Evans

Josset, Raoul

Commemorates

Bonner, Cathy

Biographical Text

Stone square art deco structure, featuring large decorative stone sculpture depicting female figure at front entrance. Sculpture created by artist Raoul Josset in 1936.

The Women's Museum was located at Fair Park in Dallas, TX in the previous Hall of Administration. The sculpture and art deco facade at the entrance were created for the 1936 Texas Centennial. Both remained as part of the building through the inhabitance of the museum. The museum was opened with the intention of honoring the history of women through various displays and exhibitions. The museum was originally proposed by Bonner in 1996, with Joseph chosen as the design architect. Its opening took place during the Texas State Fair on September 29th, 2000, and was made an official Smithsonian affiliate.

In October of 2011, eleven years after its opening, the museum announced its closure due to problems in funding. The museum's permanent collection of photographs by artist Annie Leibovitz along with other major items were returned to their donors upon this decision. The remaining archives were passed over to the Texas Women's University, located in Denton to be housed by their library.

Text

THE WOMEN'S MUSEUM

Date Created

2000-09-29

Date Modified

2011-10-31

Type

English Building

English Museum

Bibliographic Citation

"Woman's Museum open in Dallas," Ventura County Star. Oct. 01, 2000.

"Woman's Museum in Dallas to close," The Midland Reporter-Telegram. Oct. 06, 2011.

Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future, Museums of the World

Women's Museum Archive Finds New Home, NBC

Women's Museum in Dallas to close Oct. 31, Internet Archive

Spirit of the Centennial, Public Art Archive

Project Researcher

O'Neill, Iris