In the 1870s, critics claimed that higher education would damage a woman's fragile health and, worse, 'masculinize' them. In the 1970s, there was a sense that the usefulness of women's colleges had run their course, and Wellesley was debating whether to eliminate its single-sex status. The exhibition draws upon Wellesley artifacts to determine how the college reshaped itself in response to and in defiance of such challenges. In particular, the exhibition looks at the role of architecture in giving expression to institutional identities. The book details the development of the 125 year-old campus, recognized as a masterpiece of campus design in North America.
Admission is free and free parking is available.