Spend a day at the Women's Rights National Historical Park and learn more about this history of the Women's Rights Movement!

If you're traveling to Seneca County or the Finger Lakes anytime soon, consider stopping at the Women's Rights National Historical Park! The park has various buildings and attractions and many times park rangers are present to answer questions or give helpful presentations throughout the buildings. This is a great activity for families and children!

The National Park is home to the Wesleyan Chapel, where the first Women's Rights Convention was held

Wesleyan Chapel Wesleyan Chapel with a podium and American flag in the front of the church Wesleyan Chapel original wall behind glass frame against brick walls

The Wesleyan Chapel was the location for the first ever Women's Rights Convention, which took place on July 19th and 20th in the year 1848.

This building is a reconstruction of the chapel and still has parts of the original walls in place.The chapel is designed to be an interior exhibit for visitors, celebrating those who brought the Women's Rights Movement to life.

Before 2009, the chapel was just a shell of what it once was with a few standing walls and nothing inside. Today, a beautiful structure stands in its place looking just like the original.

The outdoor park at the Women's Rights National Historical Park

While quick presentations are offered at certain times inside the chapel that covers the first ever women's rights convention of 1848, the park outside has a gorgeous stone wall to honor the Declaration of Sentiments written for the convention, which declares all men and women as equal.

This stone wall runs against the museum outside of the chapel, with water running down it and a large grassy field in between the chapel and the wall.

stone wall with water running down the front behind green grass close up of a stone wall with writing on it while water runs down the front

While the chapel and park offer historical information surrounding women's rights, the museum has everything from the start of the movement up until present day

Once the foundation for women's rights is understood from the chapel and the park, one of the most interesting attractions for the public is the museum.

The museum offers a number of different exhibits, all with completely different things. On the first floor are the clay sculpted statues made by Lloyd Lillie, Professor Emeritus, Boston University, and two assistants, Victoria Guerina and Hilary Hutchinson. The statues were then cast in bronze and created for the visitor center at the Women's Rights Park, which opened in 1993.

bronze statues of men and women standing around

brass statues on display in the middle of the room

Once you pass by the gift shop and statues, the exhibits begin. Before a stairway that leads to the exhibits upstairs, there are cardboard cutouts of women protesting with signs, which are real photographs from the past. Lining the walls are photographs, clothing, and different artifacts from the history of women's rights that lead up to today.

photo collage museum exhibit photo collage wall exhibit going up stairs Two women rock climbing together in a photograph and a large purple rope hanging off the photo Woman wearing a white hard hat sitting near a train with a sign that says Women Working photograph of women playing with a jump rope on a busy sidewalk wearing matching red and white striped outfits

Other exhibits:

history of makeup over the years in a lit up display case boys and girls toys from over the years stacked on shelves sign describing what toys do when designed for boys or girls adam and eve exhibit in a museum If you have time to visit, or want to plan to visit, this is a wonderful educational and empowering place to bring families and children to learn more about the history of the Women's Rights Movement!