Before Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and Madonna there was Marilyn Monroe – the first blonde bombshell with enough sex appeal to knock the socks off of Santa Claus and even the President of the United States. But behind the rumors and the lipstick is the eternal legacy of an international icon that’s being revealed to the public for the first time since her mysterious death in 1962.



The Queen Mary has unleashed a collection of authentic items delivered to the hotel’s gallery directly from the estate of Marilyn Monroe and other organizations that control the rights to the Hollywood starlet’s photographs and personal belongings. The creators of "Marilyn Monroe: The Exhibit" reserved the grand opening of the world tour for this special Long Beach location and carefully chose priceless objects to show the life and times of Ms. Monroe before fame and fashion invaded her persona.



Take a walk through her childhood and take a look at Marilyn, the person behind the sex symbol. But first, wrap your eyes around an exclusive Campus Circle photo feature from an exhibit that has given the sultry image of one of America’s first pop stars an everlasting life after a tragic death the world will never forget.



The Queen Mary is located at 1126 Queens Highway in Long Beach. Price: $22.95 per person. Exhibit hours: Mon-Fri 12 p.m.-6 p.m., Sat-Sun 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (restaurants and lounges feature extended hours for late evening dining). For more information, call (562) 435-3511 or visit www.queenmary.com.