Vagina Museum saved from closure after crowdfunding reached a staggering £70k in four days

27 March 2025 Sophie Howarth

The Vagina Museum in Bethnal Green has surpassed its fundraising target in one weekend after facing closure for the second time in its eight-year history.

The world’s first bricks-and-mortar museum dedicated to gynaecological anatomy has been saved by over 2,000 donations, allaying fears that it would close for good.

The Vagina Museum homed in a two-storey brick building under railway arches on Poyser Street, announced it was one month from closure on the 14 March after facing an ‘unsurmountable rent payment’ due to having to pay rent quarterly instead of monthly.

However, following our news story on its imminent closure, the museum surpassed the original fundraising goal of £60k, raising £70k in the first four days. They have also successfully negotiated monthly rent payments with their landlord, spelling hope for the future.

On X, the charity said, ‘We have hit our target! The Vagina Museum is saved! This #WomensHistoryMonth, together we prevented the Vagina Museum from becoming a footnote in women’s history. Instead, we made women’s history. This community prevailed against overwhelming forces!’

As part of the emergency crowdfunding initiative, the museum collaborated with ad agency BBH on a campaign called the Vagina Heist, featuring posters that zoomed in on vaginas in renowned works of art. The museum claimed to have stolen vulvas from famous artworks, allowing the public to support the real masterpiece instead.

The museum was previously forced to shut its doors at a former east London location in February 2023 when its property guardianship came to an end. With the help of over 2,500 people, they exceeded their target of £85,000 and moved to their current location.

The museum is now encouraging fans of the museum to donate further, saying on Facebook: ‘We are currently operating with the smallest possible budget and the smallest possible team who work hard to bring you world-class exhibitions, events and engagement. With your support, we can keep doing all of that and MORE, so please don’t stop giving.

‘The work doesn’t stop. Keep being your wonderful selves and we can keep serving this community!’

The museum is taking donations via www.gofundme.com/f/btscc2

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