This exhibition celebrates women who lived or worked on the Lower East Side of New York at the turn of the twentieth century. Each portrait, printed on a silk or cotton banner, floats over a scrim of maps showing the streets where the women once walked. These ground-breaking women reach out through time and speak to us today. They were responsible for laws and attitudes we take for granted: the eight-hour work day, child labor laws, a woman's right to vote. They contributed to the cultural and social life of the community. They made headlines. Their contributions connect us to this place, the Lower East Side. Pick a woman to be curious about. Find out what she faced and what she accomplished. Let her surprise and inspire you. Touch the buttons below to access the audio guide for this exhibition. Contemporary readers give voice to the historic women portrayed in this exhibition. The guide is organized by location in the Museum building.