Six Weeks Left to Experience “When Women Lost the Vote” Special Exhibition

Groundbreaking Special Exhibition is on View Through April 25

Corresponding Online Experience Will Remain Permanently Available

Only six weeks remain to experience the Museum of the American Revolution’s groundbreaking special exhibition When Women Lost the Vote: A Revolutionary Story, 1776-1807. The exhibition is on view through Sunday, April 25, 2021, in the Museum’s clean, crowd-free galleries with enhanced health and safety protocols. Integrated within the Museum’s core galleries, it is included with regular admission and connected with a free audio tour.

The “cheekily titled” (New York Times) exhibition explores the “remarkable story” (Philadelphia Inquirer) of women and free people of color legally voting in Revolutionary-era New Jersey – as no book, exhibit, or other medium has before. It also examines the political conflicts that led to their voting rights being stripped away in 1807, and how that earlier Revolutionary fight became a rallying cry as another generation took up the mantle of the suffrage movement decades later.

Featuring more than 65 original artifacts including textiles, manuscripts, and works of art, the exhibition brings to life the forgotten stories of the women and people of color who first pioneered the vote. Featured in the exhibition are several recently discovered poll lists that include the names of 163 female voters and four Black male voters, tracked down by the Museum’s curatorial team during an extensive examination of voter records. Prior to this discovery, little proof of women or people of color voting during this period was known to exist.

During the exhibition’s Closing Weekend from Friday, April 23 – Sunday, April 25, visitors can enjoy pop-up talks at the When Women Lost the Vote tableau scene, which depicts three women gathering to vote in New Jersey in 1801. Visitors also can view two filmed theatrical performances that dramatize the experiences of Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman, a Massachusetts woman who sued for freedom from enslavement and won, and Rebecca VanDike, a voter in early New Jersey. Families can explore the new exhibition with a printed Family Guide full of games and activities.

The Museum is now open to the public Fridays – Sundays from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Beginning April 16, the Museum will be open on a Friday - Monday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. schedule. Advanced online ticket purchasing is recommended to guarantee availability. Tickets can be purchased at www.amrevmuseum.org or by calling 215.253.6731. Children ages 5 and under are always free.

Upcoming Programs

• Remember the Ladies: The World Premiere of a New Choral Work
  Thursday, March 25, 2021 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
  Composer Dr. Melissa Dunphy will join the Museum virtually for the choral world premiere of her new work “Remember the Ladies,” which sets excerpts from Abigail Adams’s famous letter to music performed by the 40-voice community choir PhilHarmonia.
  
• Deborah Sampson Unveiled: A Virtual Conversation
  Wednesday, April 7, 2021 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
  Explore the story of Deborah Sampson, who disguised herself as a man to fight during the Revolutionary War, in a discussion co-presented with American Repertory Theater featuring 1776 costume designer Emilio Sosa and author and Sampson descendent Alex Myers.
• When Women Lost the Vote Virtual Programs for Students and Adults
  Virtual programs are available for student and adult groups by calling 267.579.3623 or emailing [email protected].

Online Experience
In addition to the in-gallery experience, When Women Lost the Vote is now available to anyone at any time through a robust, free online experience. Virtual visitors can explore this little-known story through interactive elements, videos with historians and curators, and high-resolution images of artifacts, manuscripts, and works of art. A highlight of the virtual exhibit is a poll list interactive that allows users to learn more about the women and people of color whose names appear on poll lists from the early 1800s that were discovered by the Museum’s curatorial team.

Bank of America and Comcast NBCUniversal are presenting sponsors of When Women Lost the Vote: A Revolutionary Story, 1776-1807. Other support was provided by The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The exhibition was also made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor. 

About Museum of the American Revolution
The Museum of the American Revolution uncovers and shares compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked America’s ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government. Through the Museum’s unmatched collection, immersive galleries, powerful theater experiences, and interactive elements, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for how this nation came to be and feel inspired to consider their role in ensuring that the promise of the American Revolution endures. Located just steps away from Independence Hall, the Museum serves as a portal to the region’s many Revolutionary sites, sparking interest, providing context, and encouraging exploration. The Museum, which opened on April 19, 2017, is a private, non-profit, and non-partisan organization. For more information, visit www.AmRevMuseum.org or call 877.740.1776.