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Arts & Entertainment

Feature: Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

A white mannequin in a bright fitted pink dress has its arms stretched out at its sides. The arms are covered in matching pink gloves. There is a spotlight shining on the mannequin as it stands on a red velveted stairs in a dark, black room.
The iconic pink dress Marilyn Monroe wore for the 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend' performance in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Exhibition Photography for Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon on Monday, May 25, 2026 at the The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
(
Emily Shur
/
Academy Museum Foundation
)

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Listen 19:02
Larry Mantle speaks with associate curator, Sophia Serrano, about the Academy Museum's Marilyn Monroe exhibition in celebration of her 100th birthday.
Larry Mantle speaks with associate curator, Sophia Serrano, about the Academy Museum's Marilyn Monroe exhibition in celebration of her 100th birthday.

The Topic:

In honor of what would be Marilyn Monroe's 100th birthday, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is opening the exhibition Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon. The exhibit displays Monroe’s most famous costumes and other paraphernalia from her most iconic films as well as personal items that may help reveal the woman behind the camera.

Her image: Monroe’s life and career has been dissected and displayed for almost a century. But for such a pervasive and enduring figure, Monroe’s true internal life remains mysterious: was she forced into her “dumb blonde,” “bimbo” persona, or did she use it to her advantage? The Academy Museum's exhibition explores the reality that lies somewhere in-between.

Exhibition details: The exhibition opens May 31st and will run through February 28, 2027. You can find more information here.

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