In 1987 the National Museum of Women in the Arts, opened their doors in Washington DC. The museum’s only purpose is to celebrate women’s achievements in the visual, performing and literary arts. The museum was incorporated by Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay in 1981. The museum has collected over 3,500 paintings, sculptures, and decorative art.

While traveling abroad, Mr. and Mrs. Holladay admired a 17th-century still-life by Flemish painter Clara Peeters. The Holladays later sought information on Peeters, yet the definitive college art history text failed to include Peeters, or any other female artist. The Holladays then decided to make works by women the basis for their art collection, which later would become the core of NMWA’s permanent collection.

In 1983 the museum purchased a landmark of 78,810 sq ft. Which was the former Masonic Temple. The main building was completed in 1908 by Waddy Wood, and the original structure in on the DC inventory list of Historic Sites. After extensive renovations, the museum opened to the public in April of 1987. On November 8th 1997 the Elizabeth Kasser Wing opened.

The collection currently contains over 3,000 works in a variety of styles and media, spanning from the 16th century to present day. Among the earliest works is Lavinia Fontana’s Portrait of a Noblewoman, ca. 1580. There are also a number of special collections, including work by 18th and 19th century women silversmiths and over 800 pieces of book art.

Nearly 1,000 artists are represented, including Magdalena Abakanowicz, Louise Bourgeois, Lola Alvarez Bravo, Rosalba Carriera, Mary Cassatt, Elizabeth Catlett, Louisa Courtauld, Petah Coyne, Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Elaine de Kooning, Lesley Dill, Helen Frankenthaler, Marguerite Gérard, Nan Goldin, Nancy Graves, Grace Hartigan, Frida Kahlo, Angelica Kauffmann, Käthe Kollwitz, Lee Krasner, Marie Laurencin, Judith Leyster, Maria Martinez, Maria Sibylla Merian, Joan Mitchell, Gabriele Münter, Elizabeth Murray, Alice Neel, Louise Nevelson, Georgia O’Keeffe, Sarah Miriam Peale, Clara Peeters, Lilla Cabot Perry, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Rachel Ruysch, Elisabetta Sirani, Joan Snyder, Lilly Martin Spencer, Alma Thomas, Suzanne Valadon, Chakaia Booker, and Elisabeth Louisa Vigée-Lebrun.