Mar

Women’s History Meets the FUTURES

To celebrate Women’s Futures Month, the Smithsonian hosts #IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit, featuring 120 statues depicting Women-in-STEM Ambassadors—leaders in their fields with a commitment to inspire the next generation. The exhibition celebrates the power of women in STEM careers and encourages girls and young women to consider STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers to change the future and to shape a better world. Women of all ages and ethnicities are represented.

Orange statues in Haupt Garden — IfThenSheCan debuted at the Smithsoniann in the Haupt Garden on March 5, 2022.
Photo courtesy of https://www.si.edu/exhibitions/ifthenshecan-exhibit:event-exhib-6605

The bright orange, life-size, 3D-printed statues depict diverse contemporary women STEM innovators and role models leading a variety of fields, from exploring earth and space, fighting cybercrime, and looking for cancer cures to educating the public about science through illustrations, children’s books, computer gaming, and even museum exhibitions. Statues are orange to stand out from the background; the color also avoids suggesting ethnicity or race.

Women constitute half of the college-educated workforce but make up just 25 percent of the STEM industry. IfThenSheCan showcases accomplished and relatable STEM role models whose stories are proof that gender is no barrier to any career.

In the exhibition, visitors come face to face with entrepreneurs, educators, scientists, and conservationists who are building the future. Many Ambassadors are depicted holding objects representative of their work. Each statue features a unique QR code so visitors can learn more about each Ambassador.

This is the largest collection of statues of women ever assembled together. Statues are installed in the following locations. For details, see ifthenexhibit.org/.

National Air and Space Museum: 37
National Museum of Natural History: 33
Haupt Garden: 19
Castle: 19
Arts + Industries Building: 12

The #If/Then – She Can the Exhibit travelling exhibition is organized by the Lyda Hill Philanthropies and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The initiative is designed to activate a culture shift among young girls to open their eyes to STEM careers.