San Diego History Center launches hub for women’s history Thursday

Balboa Park’s San Diego History Center will officially launch its Center for Women’s History Thursday, a new hub that will spotlight the often forgotten stories of women who have transformed the region.

“Women’s history is incomplete,” San Diego History Center trustee Sandra Maas said. “At the new Center for Women’s History, we’re filling in the gaps. It’s not about adding a footnote — it’s about changing the main narrative and making sure every girl who walks into the San Diego History Center can see herself in the future.”

Maas is a longtime journalist and former president of the Women’s Museum of California, who joined the SDHC board after years of collaborating with them. She explained that this merger had been “talked about for years” and finally materialized because of a shared philosophy: stronger together.

“The Women’s Museum of California was a smaller entity,” Maas said. “The History Center has this incredible location in Balboa Park and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2028. Together, we can share the stories of all San Diegans — with an emphasis now on women’s stories — in a permanent, dedicated space.”

The gallery at the Center for Women’s History will host several rotating exhibits and collections focusing on the women of San Diego who made significant contributions to the city’s history. Maas explained that the layout and model for the gallery were inspired by the New York Historical Society’s Center for Women’s History, which opened in 2016.

In the spring of 2025, the center opened its “Women in STEM” exhibit, featuring influential figures such as Dr. Charlotte Baker, the first female physician, who worked for suffrage, in San Diego, Dr. Erica Ollmann Saphire, a virologist instrumental in COVID-19 vaccine research, and astronaut Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.

“We’re focusing on trailblazers of the past and women who are making history right now,” Maas said. “History isn’t just about looking back — it’s being made in real time by women all over San Diego.”

The center also has a long-running “Women in Law & Society” exhibit, featuring women such as Melinda Jeffries Lasater, the San Diego County Bar Association’s first female president and first public attorney president, Louise DeCarl Adler, the first female bankruptcy court judge and Patricia D. Benke, the first female Associate Justice of California’s Fourth District Court of Appeals.

Maas joined the Women’s Museum board in 2020 following her own high-profile gender pay equity lawsuit against KUSI-TV. So for her, the work is deeply personal.

“After that experience, I knew I couldn’t walk away from the fight,” she said. “I wanted to use my voice and help other women share their stories. We are more powerful when we share our stories, and that’s what this center is all about. It’s a platform for empowerment.”

The Center for Women’s History is committed to showcasing the histories of all women, including women of color, immigrants and LGBTQ+ leaders.

“San Diego is built from a population of immigrants,” Maas said. “We ensure our programming is inclusive; you’ll see exhibitions highlighting Filipino, Native American, African American and Latina women, among others.”

The center doesn’t plan to stop its contributions to the community. It plans to expand its reach through partnerships with schools, libraries, film festivals and organizations such as the Girl Scouts and San Diego International Film Festival.

“We’ll measure our success by how well we connect with the community,” Maas said. “It’s not just about people coming to Balboa Park, it’s about taking these stories out into the world.”

The center’s Nov. 6 event will also serve as a fundraiser for the new gallery. Morse High School alum and two-time Olympic gold medalist Monique Henderson will be the keynote speaker.

“The mission of the Center for Women’s History is to share the successes, achievements and challenges of women who are making an impact and helping to make the world a better place,” Maas said. “To know the future, we really do have to honor the past.”

For more information or to RSVP for the launch party, go to: www.sandiegohistorycenter.ticketing.