The lack of visibility of women in history has long been noted, and notably, the field of adult education remains particularly understudied from a  gender perspective However, in recent years, a  number of researchers studying various kinds of adult or popular education have become increasingly interested in women as audiences or initiators of adult classes or the professionalisation of women. In this article we will argue that “discovering” does not necessarily mean revealing unknown personalities. Various meanings of the word “pioneering” will also be discussed. Finally, we will question the term “the field of adult education”. Discovering pioneering women may mean that the field needs to be reshaped and its borders reconsidered or connected with other social fields. KEYWORDS: Women history, biographical turn, gender studies, adult education