Commemorate the fight for gender equality and honor the power of women with this two-day itinerary.
Day 1
Morning
Begin your exploration with a trip to the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument. This 200-year-old historic house has been at the center of the fight for women's rights since the National Woman’s Party became the owner in 1929. Guests can learn about the origins of the suffrage and women’s rights movements.
Afternoon
Make your way to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, where you can visit the American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith exhibit, which features Susan B. Anthony’s red shawl, suffrage buttons, the table on which Elizabeth Stanton drafted the Declaration of Sentiments for the famous Seneca Falls Convention and a women’s suffrage wagon. There’s also Creating Icons: How We Remember Woman Suffrage, which covers the fight for women’s rights from the early days of the suffrage movement to the present. Gaze upon the Star-Spangled Banner, crafted by Mary Pickersgill, her 13-year-old daughter Caroline, nieces Eliza Young (13) and Margaret Young (15) and a 13-year-old Black indentured servant, Grace Wisher. Last but not least, check out Girlhood (It’s Complicated), an exhibit that covers the evolution of girlhood, from fashion to wellness to work and education.
Evening
Conclude the day with a night-time tour of the National Mall’s monuments and Memorials, including the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. The striking display was dedicated in 1993 to honor the women who risked their lives to serve their country during the Vietnam War as nurses, physicians, air traffic controllers, communication specialists and intelligence officers.
Day 2
Morning
Journey to Arlington National Cemetery to view the Women In Military Service For America Memorial, the only major national memorial to honor the three million women who have defended the nation from the Revolution to the present. The powerful memorial is located at the gateway to the historic cemetery. Groups can take advantage of guided docent tours and HERstory activity carts.
Afternoon
Back in downtown DC, check out the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the only major museum in the world solely dedicated to championing women through the arts. The museum addresses the gender imbalance in the presentation of art by bringing to light important women artists of the past while also promoting great women artists working today. Next up, visit the Mary McLeod Bethune Council House. Bethune was an inspirational educator and leader and was the first Black woman to serve as a college president and head a federal agency.
Evening
Celebrate a DC icon while enjoying dinner at Ben’s Chili Bowl. Virginia Ali, the co-founder of the DC institution that has stood for more than 60 years, is beloved by all who call DC home. Stop in for the famous half-smoke and you might just catch a glimpse of Virginia cooking at the grill.
For more information, please contact Lindsay Hill at [email protected] or visit washington.org.