Campaign begins to save ‘world’s first Vagina Museum’ – where exhibits include giant glittery tampons – after founders’ property guardianship ends at short notice
- The Vagina Museum in Bethnal Green aims to tackle the taboos surrounding the gynaecological anatomy and first opened in 2019
- This week, it was revealed that the museum is being forced to close on February 1st after being asked to vacate their current premises at short notice
- The museum, which was founded by its director, Florence Schechter, will invite guests in today and tomorrow before becoming a ‘digital only’ museum
The world’s very first vagina museum, which opened nearly four years ago, is to close tomorrow.
The museum, which aims to tackle the taboos surrounding the gynaecological anatomy, will welcome its final guests on Wednesday evening after landlords asked the museum to vacate.
On Twitter, the founders of the museum, currently located in Bethnal Green, said it was sad to be asked to close so quickly and would ‘continue to operate in the ‘digital world’ while it was searching for a new home.
Since opening four years ago, the museum has attracted both support and criticism and a social media campaign to save the museum has begun in earnest.
The Vagina Museum in Bethnal Green will become a digital only entity after it was asked to vacate its premises; the museum was opened by science YouTuber Florence Schechter (pictured) in 2019
Exhibits over the years have included ‘Muff Busters: Vagina Myths and How To Fight Them’, which have adorned the walls alongside giant glittery red tampons, menstrual cups and vagina-themed bunting.
In a message on Twitter, the museum announced its closure, saying: ‘Sad news. We’ve received notice to vacate our premises at Bethnal Green by the end of this week.
The Bethnal Green museum, which aims to tackling the taboos surrounding the gynaecological anatomy, will welcome its final guests on Wednesday evening (Pictured: The museum’s first home in Camden Market)
The museum describes itself on Twitter as the ‘World’s first bricks and mortar museum dedicated to vaginas, vulvas and the gynae anatomy’ (Pictured: crocheted vulva earrings)
Originally opened at Camden Market, the museum moved to a more permanent Bethnal Green home – but the founders say they were only ever ‘property guardians’
A social media campaign has now begun to try and find the museum an alternative home
‘As a property guardianship, we’ve always been aware that we may be asked to leave with very short notice. We’re disappointed that it has come so soon.’
They added that they are ‘incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished in the ten months we’ve been at our Bethnal Green premises.
‘We’ve welcomed more than 40,000 visitors through our doors, and received so much love and positive feedback.’
The museum, which has also frequently featured plays and comedy nights around the theme of vaginas, was the creation of science YouTuber Florence Schechter, who decided to create a building dedicated solely to vaginas after discovering Iceland’s Phallological Museum.
The eye-catching exhibits on display include menstral cups and glittery red tampons
In 2017, Florence set about making her vision a reality by hosting pop-up programmes and events across the country – including at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
She also launched a crowdfunder web page which received widespread support from the general public by amassing almost £50,000.
Inside the unique and free-to-enter exhibition, visitors are able to purchase necklaces that come with a vagina pendant, clitoris crochet, feminist books and vulva postcards and bookmarks – with 25 per cent off all items ahead of the closure.
Also available to the public are leaflets informing them about vaginal health and information boards.
Prior to its opening, the museum had sparked concern among local resident groups after it was granted an alcohol license.
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