Marilyn Monroe: From the Top to the Last Interview is a free exhibition, on display at the Centro de Historias in Zaragoza, Spain until September 27 – with guided tours available on September 15 and 22 at 6:30 and 7:30 pm.
“2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).
The exhibition, curated by Cristina Carrillo de Albornoz, explores Marilyn Monroe’s impact on culture, her artistic versatility, her more intimate side, and her enduring legacy. Produced with the Milton Greene Archives and by Chris Flannery & Jason Greene of 1962 MM LLC, the exhibition commemorates this centenary through two pivotal and deeply moving periods in both her career and personal life, presented in two sections: the first captures Marilyn’s years at the height of her career through the lens of the renowned photographer Milton H. Greene. The second displays previously unseen photographs of the actress’s final days, taken by the great photojournalist Allan Grant, recovered after six decades and shown for the first time in Spain.
The first section, dedicated to Marilyn’s golden years at the height of her fame, from 1953 to 1957, explores fifty photo sessions by Milton H. Greene, the renowned photographer who enjoyed privileged access to the actress. Through a selection of 70 iconic and deeply moving images from these fifty sessions, we discover the actress’s versatility and the human being behind the scenes. The exhibition includes iconic shots, such as the celebrated portrait ‘A Ballerina,’ considered one of the three most famous photographs of the 20th century.
The second section explores the actress’s final days through lost photographs and Marilyn’s last interview. Conducted by Richard Meryman, this interview was published in LIFE magazine two days before her death on August 4, 1962, at the age of 36.
Along with this previously unseen material, the exhibition includes a documentary of the last interview, the original LIFE magazine, and a silkscreen print inspired by the photos published by the magazine, created by the artist James Francis Gill, who, along with Andy Warhol, popularised Marilyn’s image in the Pop Art movement.”
Spain was the first country to mark Marilyn’s centenary with Celebrating Marilyn, an exhibition in Madrid, back in December 2025. Several new books, including The Universe of Marilyn Monroe, have been published this year.
And in June, a three-week festival was held at Encants Barcelona, with events including exhibitions of paintings by Romà Roka, inspired by Marilyn’s ‘Last Sitting’ for photographer Bert Stern; a one-woman show starring Àngels López; book presentations, movie screenings and talks; and an interactive ‘photocall’ installation recreating the iconic ‘subway grate scene’ from The Seven Year Itch, with a special platform and ventilation effect.
The Marilyn Report 