In March, Women’s History Month honors the contributions of American women from all walks of life. Here are some of the sites across the country where you can combine travel with celebrating their accomplishments.
The Susan B. Anthony Museum and House, in Rochester, New York, was the home of the civil-rights leader and the site of her famous arrest for voting in the 1872 presidential election. You can tour the house and see artifacts related to her life and work. About an hour away, Seneca Falls is home to the National Women’s Hall of Fame, honoring the achievements of nearly 300 women in the arts, athletics, business, education, government, philanthropy and science. Nearby is the Women’s Rights National Historical Park, which tells the story of the 1848 Women’s Rights Convention.
The city of Atchison, Kansas, located an hour from Kansas City, celebrates its native daughter Amelia Earhart, the first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. The annual Amelia Earhart Festival will take place in July with music, children’s activities, stunt flying and fireworks. You can also visit Earhart’s birthplace, a 19th-century Gothic Revival cottage perched high above the scenic Missouri River. The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum houses the last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E aircraft, the same model Earhart was flying when her plane disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937.
Known for her paintings of flowers and desert landscapes, Georgia O’Keeffe is one of the 20th century’s most significant artists. A large collection of her work is displayed at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In addition to paintings and drawings, the museum also displays some of O’Keeffe’s personal belongings. One of the largest paintings in the collection, titled “Spring,” has undergone a months-long conservation process and is on display through Oct. 10. Tours are also offered of her home and studio in Abiquiu, 50 miles northwest of Santa Fe.
Maya Angelou, Rosa Parks and Lena Horne are among the women who were included in the 1989 book by photographer Brian Lanker, “I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America.” His photographs, highlighting Black women who made their mark in a variety of fields, including activism, the arts, athletics and journalism, will be on display in a new exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery, in Washington, D.C. The exhibit will run in two parts: from July 8 to Jan. 29, 2023, and from Feb. 10 to Aug. 27, 2023.
The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, in Knoxville, Tennessee, is dedicated to preserving the history of the sport at all levels, as well as honoring the game’s greatest athletes. You can test your skills on three different courts and learn about the players, coaches and officials who are enshrined in the hall. The Hall of Fame is also home to the world’s largest basketball, measuring 30 feet tall and weighing 10 tons.
