Abstract

This book examines the relationships between women and museums in Britain between about 1850 and 1914. It shows that as modernity advanced, women were important in the development of museums, and museums offered significant opportunities for women to take up new roles and put their improving education to work. As employees, patrons, volunteers, donors and visitors, women were present and helped to shape museums. However, museums were also an important part of the process by which women's increasing public presence was channeled into certain areas, such as childcare and 'outreach', which became feminised, relatively low-status parts of museums' activities.