The Martial Arts History Museum in Glendale, California, announced the first-ever Warrior Women Exhibit, opening this summer on August 22, 2026, at 4 p.m. PDT. The installation aims to recognize the critical yet often unrecognized role of women in warfare, cultural preservation, and the protection of indigenous lands. According to founder and President Michael Matsuda, the exhibit sets a historical precedent by acknowledging that female warriors are a significant part of martial arts history and that many wars would not have been won without them.
Curated by Kumu Michelle Manu, a 10th-degree black belt and cultural educator, the exhibit is the first of its kind globally to center on women as protectors, strategists, and carriers of martial knowledge. Manu, a modern-day woman warrior and lineage architect of the sacred Hawaiian art of Lua, emphasized that the exhibit is about correcting the historical record rather than adding women into history. She stated that women's contributions have been minimized or obscured for centuries, and this exhibit restores balance, accuracy, and truth.
The Warrior Women Exhibit Gala, featuring an official ribbon cutting, will be held at the Martial Arts History Museum on Saturday, August 22, 2026, starting at 4 p.m. PDT. The event is free and open to the public. This marks the first time women are being honored in a martial arts museum, highlighting the importance of recognizing their contributions to martial arts and history.
The museum, located at martialartsmuseum.com, aims to promote appreciation of America's cultural diversity by using martial arts as a gateway to share how Asian history became part of American history. Dr. Kumu Michelle Manu, JD, PhD, is a metaphysician, master martial artist, and cultural educator, and her work can be explored at michellemanu.com. The exhibit promises to restore what was never missing—the true history of women's participation in warfare and martial arts.
