Smithsonian Associates will examine the cultural legacy of Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, in a Sept. 1 program that also dedicates four reproduced swan benches as permanent tributes on the National Mall.
The free evening event at the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries Building is sold out, with a wait list available through Smithsonian Associates. It is organized with Smithsonian Gardens and the Embassy of Monaco.
A ceremony for invited guests will dedicate the benches in the Kathrine Dulin Folger Rose Garden. One bench will honor Princess Grace, and Princess Grace roses planted nearby are intended as a living public memorial.
The public program will include a historian's presentation about her life, support for the performing arts and Hollywood career, followed by a conversation among subject specialists and a reception.
A display inspired by the film 'To Catch a Thief' will accompany the reception. The program will also describe the Princess Grace Foundation-USA's support for early-career artists in theater, dance and film.
Kelly married Prince Rainier III in 1956. The event coincides with the 70th anniversary of that marriage and the 20th anniversary of Monaco establishing its embassy in Washington.
Smithsonian Associates placed the program in its Enduring Power of International Exchange series, which uses cultural programs to examine relationships between the United States and diplomatic partners.
The announcement calls the benches permanent, but it does not assign a monetary value to the installation or provide a future maintenance schedule. The program's public attendance is also constrained by the sold-out registration.
The durable public change is the garden tribute; the Sept. 1 discussion is a one-evening interpretation of how a U.S.-born actor became a symbol connecting film, philanthropy, the performing arts and Monaco-American exchange.