Marilyn Monroe's 100th Birthday: Auctions and Exhibitions Reveal the Star's Inner Life

June 1, 2026 marks the 100th birthday of Marilyn Monroe, with multiple events including exhibitions, film screenings, and an official centenary book. Heritage Auctions' "Marilyn Monroe, Unfiltered" sale features handwritten letters, watercolor paintings, and other private effects from the estate of writer Norman Rosten and his wife Hedda, who were close friends of Monroe. The collection includes watercolor sketches by Monroe, encouraging letters from Rosten, a draft of her will by Arthur Miller, and a letter dated September 11, 1958, where Monroe writes of personal anguish. Julien's Auctions is also running a "100 Years of Marilyn" sale with never-published photographs, makeup, clothing, annotated scripts, and a tile from Monroe's bathroom. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures plans an exhibition "Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon," curated by Sophia Serrano, highlighting Monroe's carefully orchestrated public image. The British Film Institute is screening Monroe's films over two months, including The Misfits. Monroe's personal struggles, including substance abuse, depression, and endometriosis, are revealed through her writings. The auctions include letters from her psychiatrist Ralph Greenson, with starting bids of $50,000.