Special Meeting Set on Forever Marilyn Sculpture

City Council to hold special meeting regarding Forever Marilyn Sculpture on Monday, Dec. 4

PALM SPRINGS — Will the 22-foot-tall Seward Johnson-designed “Forever Marilyn” sculpture stay, or will it go? That is the question before the City Council.

A special City Council meeting is set for today, Dec. 4 to consider whether Palm Springs voters will weigh in on a ballot measure that would amend the Downtown Palm Springs Specific Plan to help allow the 22-foot-tall Seward Johnson-designed “Forever Marilyn” sculpture to stay in its current location on Museum Way in downtown Palm Springs — or alternatively adopt the Specific Plan amendment without alteration and without an election.

A local group has sued the city for closing for the street to place Forever Marilyn there for a three-year period, set to expire in February 2024.

“Forever Marilyn” – inspired by the famous moment when Marilyn Monroe appeared with her white dress billowing aloft – made her initial Palm Springs debut on May 14, 2012, for a 2-year exhibit. The sculpture was described as a ‘tourism phenomenon’ during its first placement in downtown Palm Springs, attracting a steady stream of visitors daily and generating millions of dollars in local retail sales and media coverage in support of Palm Springs’ number one industry – tourism.

In June 2021, Forever Marilyn made her way back to Palm Springs, with installation at her new home – the corner of Museum Way and Belardo Road.

Johnson’s “Forever Marilyn” made its debut in Chicago in 2011, and since then, has been exhibited in China and Australia and featured in international media stories including coverage by The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, The Washington Post as well as MSNBC, ABC, CBS and media outlets in France, India, Italy, Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The “Forever Marilyn” exhibit in Palm Springs is made possible by P.S. Resorts along with a number of private contributors and community sponsors.

In 1949, at age 22, Marilyn was “discovered” in Palm Springs at Charlie Farrell’s Racquet Club by William Morris talent agent, Johnny Hyde. Many famous photos of Marilyn were taken around the Racquet Club’s swimming pool. In the 1950s, she was a regular visitor to Palm Springs with her husband, baseball luminary Joe DiMaggio.

The 10 a.m. meeting will be held in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 3200 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way.
Residents may attend in-person or watch the meeting live online at https://www.palmspringsca.gov/ or on Palm Springs Community Television Channel 17.

To view the Council agenda, visit www.palmspringsca.gov.