The Vagina Museum was founded in the UK in 2017 as the "world's first bricks and mortar museum dedicated to vaginas, vulvas and the gynae anatomy" (the project was largely inspired as a reaction to the Iceland Phallological Museum). At first, the museum did mostly pop-up events at places Green Man Festival to the Royal Institution to the Feminist Library to the Freud Museum, with exhibits that focused on things like the history of menstruation.
In 2019, the Vagina Museum found a permanent home in Camden Market, and soon became a celebrated destination. But, like a lot of things, COVID-19 threw that for a loop. As they explained via Twitter:
The one new space Camden Market have shown us is on a top floor, this would effectively relegate the Vagina Museum to the top shelf and out of sight.
This simply won't work for us: "vagina" is not a dirty word. It should be visible within the community, battling the shame attached to the word, not hidden away like a dirty mag.
We explained the unit wasn't suitable, but they didn't offer any alternatives.
We've been trying for the last year to secure new premises, as demand for a museum dedicated to vaginas, vulvas and the gynaecological anatomy is exceeding physical capacity. We are actively pursuing leads, but we need options if these do not pan out.
So this is the point where we're asking for your help. Do you work somewhere which might have a building which is suitable to be the next Vagina Museum premises? Do you know someone who can help?
If we don't get these matters resolved, the Vagina Museum won't exist as a physical space at the end of September.
I haven't been to the museum myself, but I hope it survives long enough that I can make it some day.
