The Inventions of Women

The Inventions of Women has more than 30 new exhibits and a general make-over. On display are over 80 inventions, all made by women.

Traditionally, men have been able to educate themselves and to work in the technical field more often that women. Despite this, women have made inventions, often to do with housework or nursing.

The Inventions of Women exhibits inventions by Swedish women and includes both world-renowned, patented inventions and less well-known products that solve practical problems.

The exhibition´s main message is that all people are creative in the contexts in which they operate. Using objects, it aims to tell the story of the problem the invention solves, the circumstances of the inventor and the end result. The exhibition presents several areas within which women inventors have contributed in particular, what drives women to solve problems, and women who serve as examples in history and their contexts.

The exhibition was displayed at the museum until 10th August 2014.

The Inventions of Women goes east

The exhibition’s aims were the same as the Swedish version: to promote entrepreneurship, among women in particular, and stimulate women’ s and girls’ interest in science and technology. It was also part of the Swedish Institute’s initiatives to promote democracy in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. The exhibition tour opened on 25 March 2010 in Gomel in Belarus. It presented and discussed the following:

• Technology/Inventions
• Entrepreneurship
• The gender perspective

The exhibition´s main message was that all people are creative in the contexts in which they operate. Using objects, it aims to tell the story of the problem the invention solves, the circumstances of the inventor and the end result. The exhibition presented several areas within which women inventors/innovators have contributed in particular, what drives women to solve problems, and women who serve as examples in history and their contexts. The exhibition also asked questions about why interest in technology differs between boys and girls.

“Creative Women” was on show at museums, cultural centres and other locales where there is an organisation able to receive travelling exhibitions. There was also collaboration with local trade and industry. The exhibition included just over 40 inventions. Each invention was presented digitally on touch screens with an image and text.

The Swedish Institute organized programmes, seminars and workshops at each location. The contemporary inventors represented in “Creative Women” participated in the openings, sharing their experiences.