Women’s Suffrage Museum Announces Major Expansion Milestones During Sold-Out Febb Burn Banquet

Four-story, 30,000-square-foot museum moves into design phase as organization secures second historic building and advances vision for the world's largest museum dedicated to women's suffrage

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 18, 2026) — The Women's Suffrage Museum – Events & Cultural Center announced significant milestones in the development of its permanent home Tuesday evening during the sold-out 16^th Annual Febb Burn Banquet, marking the project's continued evolution from vision to reality.

Before an audience of more than 400 supporters gathered at Bridgewater Place to commemorate Tennessee's historic role in ratifying the 19^th Amendment, museum leaders unveiled a series of major developments that represent the next chapter in creating what will become the world's largest museum dedicated exclusively to women's suffrage.

Among the announcements:

• The museum has secured 706 South Gay Street and the adjacent 708 South Gay Street properties, expanding the project beyond its original footprint.
• Johnson Architecture has been selected to lead architectural design for the project.
• Museum planning has advanced into schematic design development, with all galleries and visitor experiences now identified.
• The museum will encompass approximately 30,000 square feet across four floors, creating an immersive destination dedicated to preserving, interpreting and celebrating the history of women's suffrage.
• Beyond its museum galleries and exhibitions, the Events & Cultural Center will feature a major dining and event space, a bridal suite and a library, creating opportunities for weddings, special events, research and community gatherings.
• Upon completion, the Women's Suffrage Museum – Events & Cultural Center will become the world's largest museum and events and cultural center dedicated exclusively to honoring the women's suffrage movement.

“For too long, one of the most consequential movements in American history has been reduced to little more than a line in our history books: ‘In 1920, women received the right to vote.’ But that one sentence leaves out the extraordinary 72-year struggle, and the courage, sacrifice and determination of the ordinary citizens who made it possible,” said Wanda Sobieski, Founder and President of the Suffrage Coalition. “Over the last five generations, too much of that story has been lost. History should not stay on a shelf. We are creating a place where the suffrage movement comes alive, not as a relic of the past, but as a blueprint for the future. We want every person who walks through our doors to leave understanding that ordinary citizens have an extraordinary ability to reshape the course of our nation.”

The museum's expansion reflects years of planning, fundraising and community support to create a nationally significant destination that will combine immersive storytelling, historic artifacts, educational programming, exhibitions and event space. The acquisition of the additional property also allows the museum's creative team to significantly expand the visitor experience, using technology, theatrical storytelling and more than 1,000 historic artifacts from Sobieski's collection to bring the 72-year struggle for women's suffrage to life.

“Forget everything you think you know about a museum. We aren't simply building galleries, we're creating an experience that transports visitors into this remarkable chapter of American history,” said Mary Kellogg-Joslyn, Executive Producer of the Women's Suffrage Museum – Events & Cultural Center. “Imagine walking into a gallery and suddenly finding yourself immersed in a suffrage march on Fifth Avenue or in Washington, D.C. or being able to engage with the stories of the women who were actually there. Through projection mapping, powerful sculptures, historic artifacts and interactive storytelling, we want visitors to experience the courage, determination and sacrifice behind this movement. They may enter wanting to learn the story, but our goal is for them to leave understanding that the fight for equality is not simply a chapter from the past, it is an ongoing conversation.”

Helping bring that vision to life is internationally recognized creative designer Robert “Bob” Fleming, owner of Idletime, Inc., who is leading the museum's design in collaboration with Kellogg-Joslyn, who is directing its creative storytelling. The two previously worked together to create immersive experiences for Titanic Museum Attractions and are now reunited to identify and capture what they describe as the “heartbeat” of the Women's Suffrage Museum experience.

“The most memorable experiences aren't created by simply recreating a place or displaying an artifact. You must find the heartbeat of the story,” said Fleming. “That's what we're doing here. Every design decision begins with the people at the center of this movement and what they endured and accomplished to secure the right to vote. Mary and I want visitors to connect with these women as people, not simply names from history, and walk away with a deeper appreciation for what they did and a sense that their own voices and actions matter, too.”

Johnson Architecture will serve as Architect of Record for the Women's Suffrage Museum – Events & Cultural Center, leading the architectural transformation of the historic 706 and 708 South Gay Street properties and working alongside the museum's creative team to translate its immersive storytelling vision into a physical destination. Haines Structural Group will provide structural engineering expertise for the project.

“At Johnson Architecture, our work is deeply rooted in the fabric of East Tennessee, and we believe architecture is about more than construction. It's about preserving the character of our communities by breathing new life into the places that help tell their stories,” said Jeff Williamson, President of Johnson Architecture. “We are honored to serve as Architect of Record for the Women's Suffrage Museum – Events & Cultural Center and to work alongside Mary Kellogg-Joslyn, Bob Fleming and the entire project team to transform this visionary mission into a space worthy of the remarkable women and men whose courage changed America. The historic buildings at 706 and 708 South Gay Street are part of Knoxville's story, and we look forward to honoring their past while helping create a destination that will educate, inspire and remain a vibrant part of this community for generations to come.”

The announcements were made during the organization's sold-out 16^th Annual Febb Burn Banquet, East Tennessee's premier celebration honoring the legacy of the women's suffrage movement and supporting the future Women's Suffrage Museum – Events & Cultural Center.

The evening featured keynote remarks from Rachel Sussman, two-time Tony Award-winning producer of the Broadway musical Suffs, whose work has helped introduce a new generation to the story of the American suffrage movement through theater and storytelling. Award-winning WBIR-TV anchor Robin Wilhoit served as master of ceremonies before an audience of more than 400 community leaders, supporters and advocates. Guests experienced an evening of music, poetry and performances celebrating the women whose voices forever changed American democracy.

In her keynote address, “Keep Marching: How We Honor the Past to Shape the Future,” Sussman reflected on the enduring relevance of the suffrage movement and the importance of carrying its lessons forward for new generations.

“I am honored to be celebrating the Febb Burn Banquet and sharing the resonance of the musical Suffs at the event,” said Sussman. “The suffrage movement and the many suffragists who fought relentlessly for the right to vote over 100 years ago are proof that ‘progress is possible, not guaranteed.’ And that message of hope remains paramount as we continue to fight for progress against impossible odds today, as we look forward.”

“Rachel is a true modern-day suffragist,” said Sobieski. “She refused to take ‘no’ for an answer, and throughSuffs, she has helped bring the courage, determination and sacrifice of these extraordinary women to audiences in a powerful new way. Just as the suffragists persevered through a 72-year battle for the right to vote, Rachel pushed forward against the odds to ensure their voices would be heard by a new generation. I am so proud of what she has accomplished. Now, through this museum, we have the opportunity to give these stories a permanent home and ensure this history is not simply a lesson from the past, but a living spark for the future.”

The Women's Suffrage Museum – Events & Cultural Center will house more than 1,000 historic artifacts collected over three decades by Sobieski and the Suffrage Coalition. Through immersive exhibitions, educational programming, library research opportunities and public gathering spaces, the museum will preserve the stories of the suffrage movement while inspiring future generations to understand the enduring importance of civic participation, leadership and democracy.

About the Women's Suffrage Museum – Events & Cultural Center:
The Women's Suffrage Museum – Events & Cultural Center is a project of the Suffrage Coalition, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to locating, preserving and celebrating the history of the women's suffrage movement. Located in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee—the state whose ratification of the 19th Amendment made women's suffrage the law of the land—the museum will become the world's largest institution dedicated exclusively to women's suffrage. The approximately 30,000-square-foot museum will feature immersive exhibitions, educational programming, research opportunities and community gathering spaces designed to preserve the stories of the women who transformed American democracy while inspiring future generations of civic leaders.