Based on the New York Times bestselling book and Tumblr page of the same name, Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the first-ever museum exhibition focused solely on this judicial icon, whose image graces mugs, t-shirts, posters, and bobbleheads. The exhibit is a vibrant exploration of Justice Ginsburg’s life and her numerous, often simultaneous roles as a student, wife, mother, lawyer, judge, women’s rights pioneer, and Internet phenomenon. Whether you’re a fan or a legal scholar, don’t miss this blockbuster exhibit!
This exhibition was developed by Associate Curator at Los Angeles Skirball Cultural Center, Cate Thurston, in partnership with Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik, co-authors of the New York Times bestselling book, Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Briefs and other writings by RBG, including some of her famously searing dissents, are woven throughout the exhibit. In keeping with the spirit of Carmon and Knizhnik’s book, the exhibition riffs off the playful connection between Notorious RBG and rapper Notorious B.I.G. The name of each gallery section alludes to a song or lyric from the late hip-hop artist.
Exhibition highlights include:
- A robe and jabot from RBG’s Supreme Court wardrobe.
- Home videos of RBG with her husband, Martin “Marty” Ginsburg, on their honeymoon and in the early years of their marriage.
- The official portraits of RBG and Sandra Day O’Connor, the first two women to serve on the Supreme Court, on loan from the National Portrait Gallery.
- 3D re-imaginations of key places in RBG’s life, including:
- Her childhood Brooklyn apartment, where visitors can flip through the Nancy Drew books Ruth Bader loved as a girl, among other items, and get a feel for her Jewish upbringing
- The kitchen in RBG and Marty’s home, featuring some of Marty’s favorite recipes and cooking utensils
- The Supreme Court bench, where visitors can dress up in a robe and jabot and imagine making their own opinions heard
- The desk in her chambers, where visitors can view the 2018–2019 Supreme Court calendar and grasp cases to be decided in the current term.
It is on display until Aug. 16, 2020 at Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center.
