News Center- The idea of founding the first women's museum in Bonn city of Germany was put forward by German artist Marianne Pitzen and a group of women. Even if that idea excited women, the foundation process of the women’s museum was not so easy. The women first founded an initiative called “Women shaping cities” who occupied a desolate council building until negotiating permanent occupation and then asked for the support from the city’s municipality. And finally, they founded the women's museum in March of 1981. The museum hosts temporary exhibitions and accompanying events run by Women's Museum – Art, Culture, Research.

What does the museum offer?

Women's cultural history and works of women artists have been exhibited in the museum. Bonn Women’s Museum is the first museum of its kind in the world. There are many women’s museums around the world now and the International Association of Women's Museums (IAWM), founded in 2012, connects women's museums worldwide and advocates for their interests. Its foundation office is in Bonn (Germany). The museum organizes exhibitions depending on the creativity of women and current developments. Seminars, workshops and meetings for women are also organized by the museum. It promotes and disseminates activities and exhibitions.

First women’s museum in Turkey

Turkey’s first women’s museum is in İzmir. First museum was founded by Konak Municipality. A historic building restored in Basmane Neighborhood of İzmir’s Konak district was given to women. In the three-storey building, objects of women from past to the present are exhibited. In the “Women in Antique Age” section, a copy of the head of Faustina, wife of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, is exhibited.

An archive of women’s protests

The museum exhibits the women’s magazines published during the Ottoman and Republic periods and press clippings about women’s protests in Turkey. The museum also has a section called “Protest Room” giving information about women’s struggle. There are press clippings about women’s protests in Turkey such as the women joining Gezi Protests, and Saturday Mothers’ Protest.