Rochester Is Hosting the National Women's Hall of Fame Ceremony for the First Time — Who's Being Honored and How to Be There
The Short Version
- The National Women's Hall of Fame is holding its 2026 induction ceremony at Rochester's George Eastman Museum on September 24 — the first time in the Hall's history the event has left Seneca Falls.
- Eleven women are being inducted: five living honorees including Janet Yellen and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and six historical figures recognized for the first time.
- Judith Viorst, author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, will travel to Rochester to receive her honor in person.
- The Hall has recognized more than 300 women since 1973, starting with Clara Barton, Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, and Helen Keller in its inaugural class.
- Tickets are on sale now at womenofthehall.org — the ceremony at 900 East Avenue is open to the public.
The National Women's Hall of Fame is bringing its 2026 induction ceremony to Rochester on September 24 — the first time the event has ever been held outside Seneca Falls. Eleven women are being honored at the George Eastman Museum, 900 East Avenue, in an evening ceremony open to the public.
Why the National Women's Hall of Fame 2026 Ceremony Is Coming to Rochester
Why the National Women's Hall of Fame 2026 Ceremony Is Coming to Rochester
The Hall was founded in Seneca Falls in 1973. Its inaugural class honored Clara Barton, Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, and Helen Keller. Every biennial ceremony since has stayed there — the Hall has now recognized more than 300 women from government, science, medicine, athletics, and the arts, all inducted in Seneca Falls, about 50 miles southeast of Rochester.
The 2026 ceremony breaks from that history. The George Eastman Museum on East Avenue is the venue — one of the world's most significant archives of photography and film, set on the grounds of the historic Eastman estate on Rochester's east side. Eleven women will be inducted there on September 24: five living honorees and six historical figures whose contributions are being formally recognized for the first time.
The 2026 Inductees: Five Living Women Who Broke Barriers
The 2026 Inductees: Five Living Women Who Broke Barriers
The 2026 living class spans economics, athletics, and literature. Among the honorees: Janet Yellen, former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic medalist.
Also in the class is Judith Viorst — author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, one of the most widely sold children's books in the English language. Viorst will travel to Rochester to accept the honor in person. She told the Rochester Beacon: "The Hall honors women I very much admire and to find myself among them is breathtaking."
Six more women are being inducted posthumously — historical figures whose contributions are being added to the Hall's roster alongside the living honorees. The full list is at womenofthehall.org.
How to Attend: September 24 at George Eastman Museum
How to Attend: September 24 at George Eastman Museum
The ceremony is Thursday evening, September 24, 2026, at the George Eastman Museum, 900 East Avenue, Rochester. Tickets are on sale at womenofthehall.org, and the event is open to the public.
For those who can't attend, the Hall archives previous induction ceremonies on its website. Tickets for September 24 are available now.
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