Curated by guest curator Whitney Robertson, the exhibition draws inspiration from Abigail Adams’ iconic 1776 appeal to her husband John Adams to “remember the ladies,” a call that resonates as powerfully today as it did 250 years ago. Through historic garments, textiles, and personal artifacts, Remember the Ladies reveals how fashion has long reflected identity, freedom, labor, and civic voice across generations of American women.

The exhibition presents the stories of women across generation, class, and race whose experiences helped shape the American story, offering visitors a deeply personal and visually compelling window into histories too often overlooked.

Remember the Ladies: Fashion, Freedom, and the Fabric of a Nation 1776–2026 opens Sunday, June 14, 2026, at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, located at 230 E. Frederick St., Staunton, VA 24401, with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting from 3-5 PM. The museum will be free to the public during this time.

The museum is open Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the exhibition is included with general museum admission.

Remember the Ladies will feature two distinct rotations of garments, updating in early 2027 and closing near the end of that year.

For more information, visit the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum or follow the museum on social media for upcoming programs and events connected to the exhibition.

www.WoodrowWilson.org

Text from WWPL Press Release May 18, 2026. All photos by Kate Simon Photography www.Kate-Simon.com