Top US Historical Destinations to Honor International Women’s Month

by Noreen Kompanik
Last updated: 8:00 AM ET, Sun March 1, 2026

International Women’s Month in March celebrates the contributions and achievements of women throughout history who have done much to shape our world.

Over the years, women have contributed to advancements across all areas of society with hard work, skill and perseverance. And history reminds us it hasn’t been easy. Women have been subjected to discrimination, abuse and persecution merely for advocating for equal rights, equal pay and justice for all. As a result, they have more than earned their place in the annals of history.

Here are some top historical destinations around the U.S. and lesser-known gems to honor famous women in history and their contributions to the betterment of our world.

Washington, DC

Our nation’s capital is one of the most meaningful places to honor International Women’s Month as it sits at the heart of U.S. political power and preserves key landmarks of the women’s rights movement.

Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument’s historic house was the headquarters of the National Woman’s Party, led by Alice Paul. From here, activists organized protests, marches, and White House pickets that helped secure the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote in 1920.

DC’s Smithsonian museums feature extensive exhibits covering women in politics, science, culture and activism to include The National Museum of American History and The National Portrait Gallery. Daughters of the American Revolution Museum showcases women’s contributions to American history through decorative art, exhibits and historic artifacts.

Boston, MA

The center of women’s activism, education, literature, labor reform and political change for nearly two centuries, Boston stands out as a destination to explore the achievements and contributions of women throughout history.

The city is home to some of the national’s earliest institutions dedicated to women’s higher education such as Boston University and Simmons University. Boston was a major hub of abolitionism and women’s suffrage with leaders like Julia Ward Howe and Lucy Stone. The Massachusetts State House was home to suffrage petition debates and historic Beacon Hill was the center of reformers and abolitionists who linked anti-slavery and women’s right causes. Its north slope was the heart of Boston’s 19^th-century Black community who played vital roles in activism, education and community leadership. Boston’s Women’s Heritage Trail offers a series of 12 walking tours showcasing homes and sites connected to the city’s most influential women.

New York State

To walk in the shoes of some of the most influential women in U.S. history, a visit to the state of New York is a must.

In Rochester, the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House was once the headquarters of the National Suffrage Association pushing for passage of the 19^th Amendment granting women the right to vote. Harriett Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn is the home of the African American abolitionist, now a visitor center celebrating her life and impressive accomplishments which include bringing hundreds of slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad.

In Seneca Falls, the Women’s Rights National Historic Park is often known as the birthplace of the women’s rights movement, hosting the first women’s rights convention in 1848. The Park includes figures such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucrecia Mott, and more.

Additionally, the Eleanor Roosevelt Historic Site in Hyde Park commemorates the life and work of America’s first lady.

Gettysburg, PA

Gettysburg is filled with stories of men who fought in the fateful Civil War battle. However, it was the women of Gettysburg who carried on when the men left for war, women who nursed the wounded back to health, and women who buried the dead, weeping for those who never made it home.

Elizabeth Thorn, wife of the first Evergreen Cemetery caretaker buried 91 soldiers while approximately six months pregnant in the summer heat after the Battle of Gettysburg. A statue of the pregnant Elizabeth at the cemetery is known as the Gettysburg Women's Memorial.

Mag Palm, a free Black woman fought off kidnappers who likely would have sold her into slavery and testified against them in court. Her story is highlighted at the Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum along with other women’s historic tales.

Jennie Wade, the only civilian killed during the battle was struck by a bullet while making bread for soldiers. Her story is told at the Jennie Wade House Museum (the oldest museum in Gettysburg) and the newly opened Jennie Wade Birthplace. Hettie Shriver cared for two young daughters during some of the battle’s worst fighting, assisted wounded soldiers, and had her home infiltrated by enemy forces. Her story is highlighted at the Shriver House Museum.

Lesser-Known Gems

These lesser-known destinations offer a nod to some incredible pioneering women who trailblazed against all odds, broke barriers, and ultimately changed the face of history in their own unique way.

Atchison, Kansas

Travelers can visit the childhood home of Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic and U.S. nonstop. The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum weaves the worlds of aviation, education and mystery into one interactive museum in the pioneer’s hometown.

The Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum is a turn of the 20^th century Gothic Revival Home where the world-renowned aviator was born and spent most of her childhood.

Denver, Colorado

The Molly Brown House Museum is the restored Victorian home of Margaret “Molly” Brown, a remarkable American philanthropist, activist and social figure, likely best known for surviving the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912.

While Brown earned famed as the “Unsinkable Molly Brown” for helping others during the Titanic disaster, her life extended well beyond that disastrous event. She was not only a philanthropist, but a social reformer and women’s rights supporter.

Sonoma County, CA

Sonoma County is one of California’s most renowned wine regions, but as Women’s History Month goes, there’s no better time than to shine a light on a place where it all began.

Women’s History Month launched in the late ‘70s in Santa Rosa, becoming a transformative and nationally recognized event in 1980, the year President Jimmy Carter officially proclaimed the creation of National Women’s History Week. London State Historic Park celebrates women whose lives, work, and creativity helped shaped the history and landscape of what it is today.

Edenton, NC

In this Colonial-era capital known for its waterside beauty and remarkable architecture, socialite Penelope Barker became the first American woman to organize a political act, the Edenton Tea Party of 1774. Barker enlisted 50 other women to sign a resolution boycotting British imports. Barker house is the location that she and her husband built on Albemarle Sound after the Revolutionary War.

Another notable woman, Harriott Jacobs, was born into slavery, escaped slavery, then published a fugitive slave novel. Edenton visitors can follow a self-guided tour to locations from her story.

Fort Worth, TX

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas honors over 750 women who shaped the American West showing extraordinary courage, trailblazing spirit, and major influences in rodeo, ranching, activism, the arts and more.

Notable figures such as Sacagawea (the Shoshone guide on the Lewis and Clark Expedition), legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley, influential modernist painter Georgia O’Keefe, known for her works inspired by the American Southwest and Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie books author chronicling frontier life.

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Chicago, IL

Hull House is a National Historic Landmark that serves as a memorial museum to Jane Addams – the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Addams founded the settlement house with American social reformer and activist, Ellen Gates Starr in 1889 to provide local immigrant communities with social services and child care for working mothers.

Aadams also championed social reform, fought to end exploitative child labor, supported women’s suffrage and equality, and later became the NAACP’s co-founder.

Nashville, TN

From the fight to vote to women who reshaped American music, Nashville offers a meaningful and memorable way to celebrate the achievements, resilience, and cultural impact of women throughout history.

Visitors can experience the luxury and background of The Hermitage Hotel; a National Historic Landmark that played a significant role in the ratification of the 19^th amendment.

During the hot summer heat in 1920, both suffragists and anti-suffrage campaigners gathered in Nashville as Tennessee became the final state needed to secure women the right to vote. The Hermitage served as headquarters for leaders of the movement, including the president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, placing the hotel at the center of this historic turning point.

The Patsy Cline Museum celebrates the life and legacy of the pioneer of the “Nashville Sound,” who helped bridge country and pop music, paving the way for generations of female artists. Raise a glass at Dolly's Rooftop Bar, inspired by global icon Dolly Parton, before exploring exhibits at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, including tributes to groundbreaking artists such as Taylor Swift.

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