10 Inspiring Places Where You Can Learn About Women’s History in the US

You know her as the bandana-swathed gal rolling up her sleeves and exclaiming, “We can do it!” That’s Rosie the Riveter, the (accidental) star of a WWII campaign designed to motivate women to join the workforce. As a result, millions of women went to work in factories and shipyards, many gaining employment for the first time.

Today, you can visit the Rosie the Riveter World War II Home Front National Historical Park on your next trip to California. The main attractions are the Visitor Education Center & Ford Assembly Plant; the Rosie the Riveter Memorial; and the Kaiser Shipyards (and Red Oak Victory Ship), where thousands of men and women worked during the war.

Marking the very spot in Seneca Falls, New York, where the country’s first Women's Rights Convention was held in July of 1848, the Women’s Rights National Historical Park protects a pivotal moment in American history. It was here that Elizabeth Cady Stanton turned to her Quaker neighbors to air her grievances, and they agreed. A movement had begun.

The historical park protects the Wesleyan Church (the site of that 300-person meeting) and three suffragette’s homes: the Stantons, the M’Clintocks, and the Hunts. Outdoor ranger talks are given every day, and the visitor center doubles as a 2-story museum. Make sure to stop at the nearby Waterwall at Declaration Park, inscribed with the words of Stanton’s Declaration of Sentiments.

Harriet Tubman escaped enslavement—twice. In 1859, Auburn, New York, was a hub for antislavery sentiments, and Tubman bought a house there after years of working and living across the US and Ontario (and, of course, helping hundreds of others escape slavery). When the Civil War hit, she became a cook, nurse, armed scout, and spy. She was even the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war. Designated a national historic park in 2017, her home and grounds are open for tours (appointments are necessary during winter).

Insider tip: If Auburn doesn’t fit into your itinerary, consider driving the 125-mile (201-kilometer) route through the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park, which traces Tubman’s escape route from Maryland to Delaware.

More than 120 anti-LGBTQ+ legislative bills were introduced across the country in 2023 alone. This recent surge of queerphobia makes spots such as the Stonewall Inn—the site of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which marked a watershed moment in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights—that much more paramount. (If you’ve ever wondered why June is Pride Month, it’s in honor of Stonewall).

Fighting for the right to live openly, trans activists including Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera rallied their communities and led to gay-rights groups popping up all over the country. Today, the Stonewall Inn, both a national monument and a gay bar in Greenwich Village, still slings drinks, while visitors in search of this history can also scope out Stonewall National Monument, across the street.

If there’s one suffragette we’ve probably all heard of, it’s Susan B. Anthony. Arrested for voting in 1872, hers was a lifelong battle for voting rights for women and equal rights for all. She petitioned across the country for years, founding societies such as the National American Women’s Suffrage Association.

Her home still stands in Rochester, New York—in fact, she was arrested in the front parlor. You’re welcome to explore the parlor, peruse her artifacts, and take in the exhibits at the on-site museum.

You likely know the story: Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on an Alabama bus to a white man. She was subsequently arrested, and the nation stirred. A pivotal point in the Civil Rights movement—one Parks initiated knowingly—her actions launched a bus boycott that would remain about a fight for a seat: only this time, at the table.

Located at the very site where the activist was arrested, the Rosa Parks Library and Museum showcases artifacts circling Park’s life, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Civil Rights Movement. Visitors will even get to see a 1955 Montgomery city bus and hear the voices of real-life protestors.

Related: 10 Inspiring Places Where You Can Honor Black History in the US

Unless you count nude statues and paintings, women are underrepresented across the world’s art museums. The National Museum Of Women In The Arts, the world’s only museum solely dedicated to the creative works of women, vows to change that. At this downtown DC gem, there’s no lack of masterpieces, either—expect nearly 5,000 works from more than 1,000 artists ranging from the 1500s until the present day.

The only official royal residence in the US, Iolani Palace was once home to Queen Liliuokalani, the closest thing to Queen Elizabeth the red-white-and-blue has ever had. She succeeded the throne from her brother, King Kalakaua, ruling briefly from 1891–1893. She would reign as Hawaii’s last monarch until the kingdom was overthrown (in part) by the Dole family. Maybe you know them for their pineapples.

Today, Honolulu visitors can take guided tours of the grand edifice, strolling through the Grand Hall, the Throne Room, the King and Queen’s suites, and even the Imprisonment Room. As you wander the grounds, know that this spot is thought to have been the site of an ancient heiau, or temple, too.

The Salem Witch Trials were very real, and they happened right in Salem, Massachusetts, where 200 people were accused of witchcraft, 30 were found guilty, and 19 were hanged in 1692. In 2022, the last convicted Salem “witch” (Elizabeth Johnson Jr.) was finally exonerated.

Today, you can stroll the city’s streets, making sure to stop at the famous Salem Witch Museum and the Salem Witch Trials Memorial. Consider taking a tour of Salem, too, to take in all the main attractions, plus incredible tales, wild facts, and spooky ghost stories that go along with them.

This Fort Worth spot honors the legends of wild women across the American West, from Annie Oakley and Georgia O’Keeffe to Laura Ingalls Wilder and Sacajawea. The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is chock-full of interactive exhibits, photographs, real-life artifacts, and more. Just a few moments here prove that women have been grand, bold, daring, and impactful for centuries on end.