Exhibits : Special Exhibits

Purse & the Person: A Century of Women's Purses

(November 13, 2009–January 24, 2010)

The Purse and the Person brings together life stories and experiences that have been buried right under our noses. This exhibition looks at purses form the inside out, examining life as it is reflected in a very personal, intimate media – a woman’s handbag.

Exhibition vignettes examine iconic women of the twentieth century, from the Edwardian matron to the Superwoman of recent decades. Look inside the purses and discover the personalities of the past and find familiar objects as well as items whose purpose has long since faded. Specific purse contents may bring to mind the demands of wartime, the excitement of travel or the paraphernalia of motherhood.

This exhibit is part of a nine-city national tour and consists of approximately two hundred purses, artifacts and photographs.

Exhibit courtesy of Curatrix Group, tour development by Smith Kramer Fine Arts Services, Kansas City, Missouri

Sponsors

This exhibit was supported in part by grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and City of Dallas, Office of Cultural Affairs.

Additional support provided by AT&T Yellow Pages

Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.