Witty, creative and determined, Marilyn was very deliberate about building her career and image. The camera loved Marilyn.

The sensual movie star soon became the embodiment of beauty adored by all and a fashion icon whose style is still admired today. The Vapriikki exhibition dives into Marilyn’s world: its outward beauty, success and glamour, but also its other side – the star’s lonely internal world, full of misfortune.

The exhibition has over 300 of Marilyn’s personal items on display – including famous garments, shoes, makeup, jewellery, photos and film scripts – most of them from her Brentwood home in Los Angeles. After Marilyn’s death, the items were collected, packed and given to her acting teacher as instructed in her will.

The boxes were opened again 37 years later, and Marilyn’s estate was sold by the most famous auction houses in the world. Most of the items to be featured at Vapriikki belong to the collection of Ted Stampfer, the famed collector of Marilyn memorabilia, who also acts as the curator of the exhibition. Enlarged photos and film material complement the image of a strong yet vulnerable film star. The exhibition will be on display at Vapriikki with exclusive rights in the Nordic countries.