APRIL 7, 1987: Opening of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC, the first museum devoted to women artists. The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) was first incorporated in 1981 by founders Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay who began collecting art in the 1960s. Their goal in founding the museum was to reform traditional histories of art. It was and still is dedicated to discovering and making known women artists who have been overlooked or unacknowledged, and assuring the place of women in contemporary art. The NMWA is the only museum dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements in the visual, performing, and literary arts. Since opening in 1987 the museum has acquired a collection of more than 4,000 paintings, sculptures, works on paper and decorative art. Artist highlights include Mary Cassatt, Frida Kahlo, and Elisabeth Louise Vigee-Le Brun. The art spans from the 16th century to present day.
