The Journey of Women: Yemeni Women and Social Growth
Location: Central Hall Gallery
On Display: October 25, 2025 - August 13, 2027
Lead Curators: Brandie Macdonald, Chief Curator and Kaila Cogdill, Curator of Collections Impact
Guest Curators: Fatima Al Zawya, Research Consultant at the Institute de Recherche et d’Etudes sur le Monde Arabe et Musulman and Najwa Adra, Ph.D., Associate Researcher at the Institute for Social Anthropology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
The Journey of Women: Yemeni Jewelry and Social Growth will feature silver jewelry and textiles created for and worn by women from various regions of Yemen. The jewelry to be displayed showcases the meticulous craftsmanship of skilled silversmiths who passed their techniques down through generations. Once gifted, this jewelry becomes part of a family’s movable wealth and is considered the property of women. Yemeni women have the autonomy to decide how to use their jewelry, including the option to sell it in times of economic need. Similar to other cultures around the world, the types of jewelry worn often reflect social status, significant life events such as marriage and motherhood, and regional identities. The themes explored in the exhibit include recognizing the social capital of Yemeni women through their material culture and how this, in turn, influences their identities and the transition from girlhood to womanhood, all while preserving their cultural heritage.
This exhibition was made possible through the generous donation of the David and Marjorie Ransom Collection of Yemeni Jewelry by Mrs. Marjorie Ransom, a former U.S. diplomat to Yemen. You can read about the Collection and the gift here.