Vagina Museum

The Vagina Museum is the world’s first physical museum dedicated to the female reproductive system. It opened its first exhibition in Camden Market in November 2019 before moving to Bethnal Green in March 2022. After a brief closure, it reopened in November 2023 in a new space on Poyser Street. The museum was founded by Florence Schechter, who noticed the absence of such a space while learning about the Icelandic Phallological Museum. Its exhibitions explore gynaecological health, social history and activism through art, talks and workshops. The museum also hosts comedy nights, theatre and performance art as part of its events programme. The museum grew from pop-up exhibitions across the UK, including Edinburgh and festivals like Brainchild and SQIFF. In 2017, Schechter received a commendation in the Women of the Future Awards for her work. Camden Council supported its move to Camden Market, highlighting the need to challenge stigma around gynaecological health. A crowdfunder raised £48,945 to open the Camden site, where exhibitions like *Muff Busters* tackled myths about vaginas. After leaving Camden, the museum relocated to Bethnal Green, where it opened *Periods: A Brief History* and the permanent *From A to V* exhibition. Visitors now find two galleries on Poyser Street: a community gallery and a permanent exhibition space. The first temporary exhibition focused on endometriosis, created with Oxford EndoCare and the Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics. In 2024, two more galleries opened, including one named after Anarcha, Lucy and Betsey, known as the ‘Mothers of Gynecology.’ The museum also partners with other venues, such as the Crab Museum in Margate, for special exhibitions. Its events programme continues to include talks, workshops and performances that encourage open discussion. The space remains a place for learning, creativity and activism about women’s health.