Each week, the Archives features a woman who has been a groundbreaker at the Smithsonian, past or present, in a series titled Wonderful Women Wednesday.
Sheila Machlis Alexander worked as a museum specialist, collections manager, and curator for the National Museum of American History’s Division of Ceramics and Glass between 1970 and 2003. After her retirement, Alexander continued to share her expertise with the division as museum specialist emeritus.
In 1974, Alexander was elected to the Smithsonian Institution Women’s Council and wrote the organization’s first column in The Torch, Smithsonian’s staff newsletter.
Alexander earned a bachelor's degree in art history from George Washington University in 1964 and a master's degree in museum education from Bank Street Graduate School of Education in 1990.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Related Resources
- Sheila Alexander (1941–2020), obituary, Legacy
- “Fragile History, Handle With Care: Glass Buffs Peer Into Past : Collectibles: Pressed glass tableware tells stories of etiquette, beauty and ingenuity in Victorian America” by Vickie Moeser, 20 September 1992, Los Angeles Times
