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National Museum of Women in the Arts

Member Preview Day: Routed West

A vibrant, hand-quilted cotton textile features a combination of blue, orange, yellow, and red patchwork.

Event Details

Event Date and Time

Wed, Sep 16, 2026
10 am to 4 pm ET

Tickets and Reservations

Free. Exclusive for Advocate level members and above. Registration required.
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Location

2nd floor galleries

Event Type

Members
Join us for a special members-only preview of our newest exhibition.

Event Description

See It First

Members at the Advocate level and above are invited to view Routed West: Twentieth-Century African American Quilts in California before it opens to the public.

Between 1940 and 1970, millions of African Americans left the Southern United States in what became known as the Second Great Migration, as they sought greater freedom, economic opportunity, and escape from Jim Crow segregation and racial terror. Hundreds of thousands of migrants arrived in California, where many carried quilts as well as their quilt-making traditions. Featuring more than 80 artworks by more than 70 individuals with ties to the San Francisco Bay Area, Routed West threads the needle between Black people’s historical movements and their quilts to tell stories of collective care, resilience, and creativity.

If you have any questions, please email member@nmwa.org or call 866-875-4627 toll free.

Not a member yet? Membership support helps NMWA present exhibitions, educational programs, and publications featuring the work of women artists. Enjoy benefits including invitations to exclusive events and a subscription to Women in the Arts magazine all year long! Join today.

Accessibility

Accessibility Inquiries

If you are unable to register online or would like to indicate any accessibility services you require, please email member@nmwa.org. Two weeks’ notice to request accessibility services is appreciated but not required. We will make every attempt to fulfill requests.

Exhibition Sponsors

Routed West: Twentieth-Century African American Quilts in California is organized by the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. The exhibition is curated by Elaine Y. Yau, associate curator and academic liaison, with Matthew Villar Miranda, former curatorial associate. Funding for the conservation of the quilt collection was generously provided by Angela and David Filo; a grant from the Bank of America Art Conservation Project; the Save America’s Treasures program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services; and the Office of the Chancellor at the University of California, Berkeley. Generous support provided by Art Bridges. Presentation of Routed West at NMWA is made possible by Jamie Gorelick and Richard Waldhorn, Tara Rudman, Stephanie Sale, and The Coby Foundation, Ltd. Additional support is provided by San Francisco Advocacy of NMWA, Lunder Foundation, Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation, and Kravet.

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