[Tour Korea = Reporter Seongran Cho] With Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday approaching on June 1, a curated trail of 11 Los Angeles sites linked to her life is getting renewed attention.
The Los Angeles Tourism Board has put together places where visitors can step into the story of the global Hollywood icon, from the hotels she stayed in to the restaurants she loved and exhibitions dedicated to her legacy.
More than a checklist of sights, this route is designed as a narrative-driven journey—think of it as following the arc of one extraordinary life through the city she helped define.
May 31 opening… Academy Museum unveils large-scale ‘Marilyn Monroe’ exhibition
First on the list is the Academy Museum. Opening May 31, Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon focuses a spotlight on her public image as both actress and cultural phenomenon.
The exhibition unveils hundreds of items—posters, photographs, production documents and letters—many shown publicly for the first time. It’s a chance to see how she managed and crafted her persona even within the tight machinery of classic Hollywood.
16-week limited immersive show ‘Marilyn: The Immersive Experience’
Also opening in May is Marilyn: The Immersive Experience, a roughly 16-week pop-up that leans into interactive storytelling.
Co-created with fans, the show guides visitors through Monroe’s life with unseen photos and footage, personal belongings and recreated iconic scenes—designed to make you feel like you’ve stepped inside her story.
From her first magazine shoot to legendary restaurants
There are plenty of real-world stops where Monroe’s presence still lingers.
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is where she lived for about two years while launching her modeling career. It’s where she shot her first professional magazine spread at the Tropicana Pool. Today, the roughly 70㎡ (about 753 sq ft) Marilyn Monroe Suite aims to capture that same era’s glamour.
The Musso & Frank Grill, opened in 1919, is a legendary spot once frequented by Monroe, Joe DiMaggio and Elizabeth Taylor. Formosa Cafe, another Hollywood favorite, reopened in 2019 after a renovation that cost about 3.2 billion KRW (2.4 million USD).
Her marks across Hollywood… from the Walk of Fame to museums
The Hollywood Museum houses more than 10,000 items, including Monroe-related displays such as the Max Factor makeup room that helped shape her blonde look, costumes and personal effects.
One standout is the “Million Dollar Dress” she wore during her 1954 visit to Korea—an especially iconic piece in the collection.
At TCL Chinese Theatre you can still see her handprints and footprints, and her star sits near 6774 Hollywood Boulevard on the Walk of Fame.
Final traces… gravesite and tours remain popular
The trail also includes sites tied to her final days. Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park is the location of her crypt; legend has it her ex-husband Joe DiMaggio sent roses there three times a week for 20 years.
For a guided, cinematic spin on Monroe tourism, the Marilyn Monroe LA Tour—driven in a 1970s Cadillac convertible—remains a popular way to follow the key places from her life.
“She stopped at 36, but her name turns 100”
Though Marilyn Monroe died at 36, she endures as one of pop culture’s most influential icons.
On her centennial in 2026, Los Angeles is expanding her story into citywide tourism offerings. The move toward story-driven travel—following a person’s narrative rather than ticking off landmarks—is emerging as a fresh trend in how we experience a place.
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