#EchosOfHer – Musee de la Femme

A Museum Born from Purpose and Passion

The Women’s Museum in Québec, founded by passionate historian and advocate Lydie Olga Ntap, emerged as a beacon for the stories too often erased from Canada’s mainstream historical record. In a country rich with diverse cultures and histories, the museum was conceived not merely as a repository but as a corrective — one that shines light on the myriad experiences of women across ethnicities, classes, and generations.

Ntap’s vision was clear: to collect, preserve, and celebrate women’s stories in their full complexity, challenging narratives that reduced women to footnotes or stereotypes. This museum serves as a living archive of resilience, creativity, and activism.

Diversity as Strength

One of the museum’s defining features is its commitment to representing the intersections of gender, race, culture, and class. Its extensive collections of personal letters, photographs, and oral histories create a nuanced mosaic of experiences that range from the domestic to the political.

The museum embraces stories of Indigenous women, immigrants, Black communities, and other minoritised groups, making visible histories that often remain sidelined. This inclusive ethos resonates powerfully with the Anah Project’s mission to amplify Black and minoritised women’s voices.

Stories That Challenge and Inspire

Exhibitions explore themes such as migration, labour, resistance, and cultural expression, revealing how women’s everyday lives are deeply entwined with broader social and political movements. Visitors learn about activists who fought for labour rights, artists who redefined cultural landscapes, and families who preserved traditions through times of change.

Through these stories, the museum invites us to rethink history as a dynamic, contested space where power and identity are continuously negotiated.

Education and Community Engagement

The museum is not confined to its walls. It actively collaborates with community organisations, schools, and activists to promote awareness and dialogue. Workshops and public talks encourage visitors to interrogate notions of inclusion, equity, and representation in their own lives.

This participatory approach fosters a sense of ownership and belonging — visitors become part of the ongoing conversation about whose stories are told and how.

Reflecting on Identity and Belonging

Stepping into the Women’s Museum in Québec prompts profound questions: Whose histories have been overlooked or suppressed? How can recognising diverse experiences enrich our understanding of community and identity? What responsibilities do we bear in preserving and sharing these stories authentically?

These reflections challenge visitors to move beyond passive consumption toward active engagement with history and social justice.

A Living Archive

More than a museum, this institution is a living archive — constantly evolving to include new voices and perspectives. Its work underscores the power of storytelling as a tool for empowerment and transformation.

For  Anah Project’s audience, the Women’s Museum in Québec offers inspiration and a call to action: to reclaim histories, honour resilience, and ensure that all women’s experiences are celebrated and remembered.