Women’s History
Join us in celebrating the stories of women whose contributions, courage, and sacrifices have shaped maritime history.
Around the Museum
Women’s history is weaved throughout the galleries of The Mariners’ Museum, even extending to the building itself. Here are some of our favorite highlights.
The Artwork of Anna Hyatt Huntington
Location: Huntington Room and near the Lions Bridge
Anna Hyatt Huntington was a prolific sculptor whose career spanned almost 80 years. She had a lifelong fascination with animals; most of her work features wild and domesticated creatures. Anna gained popularity almost unheard of among 20th-century artists, and her art is still popular today.
Learn more about Anna:
Kate Adams
Location: Gallery 7 (display case near Huntington Room)
Kate Adams was named after the wife of prominent Tennessee entrepreneur Major John D. Adams. Naming ships after women was a very common practice. Women and female figures were associated with nurturing and protection. Look for other ships in the galleries with feminine names.
Mary Louvestre
Location: The Casemate of CSS Virginia
Once believed to have been enslaved, Mary Louvestre was a free African American woman who managed to get a copy of the plans for CSS Virginia. She took the plans to Gideon Wells, Secretary of the Navy, in Washington DC.
Mary Louvestre, a Union spy?
Martha Geer
Location: Wall of the Monitor Center Entrance
George Geer wrote several letters to his wife Martha during his service onboard USS Monitor. The correspondence between Martha and George provides direct insight into life on board Monitor.
Barbara “Bobbie” Scholley
Location: Ironclad Revolution Entrance (Recovery video)
Retired US Navy Captain Barbara “Bobbie” Scholley led several salvage team expeditions to the wreck of USS Monitor and helped raise the turret. She is a Women Divers Hall of Fame member, which promotes exciting opportunities for female divers. Watch the video below to see how Bobbie’s team partnered with others to recover the turret from the depths of the ocean.
20th Anniversary of USS Monitor’s Turret Recovery
2022 marked the 20th anniversary of raising the famous ironclad’s gun turret off the ocean floor, where it sat for 140 years. Just like the innovative weapon, this feat was revolutionary. The divers, archaeologists, engineers, the US Navy, NOAA, and countless others, worked together to accomplish this mission. This video celebrates all of these people who made this happen!
Umiak Boat
Location: International Small Craft Center
The umiak is known as the “women’s boat.” Inuit cultures of the Arctic have used these and similar vessels for hunting, fishing, and moving from place to place for generations. Inuit women used umiaks to move their families and goods as they migrated seasonally. Women were also instrumental in the construction of the umiak when the animal skin was stretched over the frame to create the body of the boat, as well as helping make repairs.
Women’s Magic of the Arctic
For most indigenous groups around the world, there are gender-based roles and skills, and these skills are taught by their elders in order to pass on their traditions from generation to generation.
In Our Collection
The Mariners’ Collection is home to an array of beautiful images and artwork related to Women’s History.
Discover the Collection
What is a maritime museum, and what does it have to do with you? Our vast Collections explore people, places, ships, art, cultures, and more throughout time and from all over the world! Take a look at the highlights below to discover your connection to the world’s waters.
