The Grammy Musuem will open a Selena exhibit featuring items that have never left the late singer’s hometown musuem before, but are coming to L.A in January
Thirty years ago, Tejano musical legend and cultural icon Selena Quintanilla was murdered at just 23 years old. Known as the “Queen of Tejano Music,” Selena was just reaching the height of her career then. Today, despite her tragic death, Selena’s voice and legacy are as impactful as ever.
This January, Selena’s personal artifacts will leave her hometown of Corpus Cristi, Texas, for the first time ever. Her belongings are headed to downtown Los Angeles, where the Grammy Museum will host a pop-up exhibit celebrating the Latin icon.
The upcoming exhibit is called ‘Selena: From Texas to the World‘. It will be open January 15th through March 16th, 2026.
The Grammy Museum describes it as “a special pop-up exhibition celebrating the enduring legacy of Selena, an icon whose impact on music, fashion, and culture continues to inspire generations around the world.”
Curated in collaboration with Suzette Quintanilla, Selena’s sister and President of Q Productions, the exhibit offers an intimate look into Selena’s artistry, personal life, and incredible career. Suzette handpicked the items to be displayed, including some of Selena’s most famous outfits, belongings, and accessories.
The exhibit highlights feature the microphone Selena used in her final performance, still stained with her signature red lipstick, the outfit Selena wore on the cover of Amor Prohibido, her iconic gold hoops, the beaded dress Selena wore to the 1994 Grammy’s where she won best Mexican American album, Selena’s personal cellphone, her Grammy and LifeTime achievement award, her sketches, and more.
In a statement, Suzette Quintanilla said, “It’s incredibly special to share these treasured items, for the very first time outside of our Selena Museum, at the iconic Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. Selena and our band were extremely proud to receive a Grammy for our live concert. This exhibit is a beautiful tribute to her spirit, her culture and the unwavering love she had for fans.”
Selena received a Hollywood Star posthumously in 2017. The unveiling ceremony drew out the largest-ever crowd at the time, according to a Hollywood Chamber of Commerce spokesperson.
Scroll to continue reading
“It’s just so intimate and it’s so special to get to bring this to LA,” said Grammy Museum curator Kelsey Goelz. About the exhibit she continued, “Selena’s legacy is not going anywhere. The conversation is still going. So, you know, why not start allowing fans to see some more stuff?”
All of the items for the new exhibit are sourced directly from the Selena Museum. The only exceptions are guitars lended from Chris Perez, who was lead guitarist of Selena y Los Dinos and once married to the late singer.
All descriptions for the featured items will be written in both English and Spanish, a tribute to Selena’s bilingualism and pride in her Mexican-American roots.
The museum continues: “Beyond her chart-topping success, Selena was a fashion pioneer whose signature style, from shimmering bustiers and iconic stage outfits to bold red lipstick, continues to influence pop culture and street fashion today. Her charisma, determination, and pride in her Mexican-American heritage made her a symbol of empowerment for young women and Latin communities across the world.”
Decades later, Selena’s voice is as impactful as ever, and she continues to inspire people with her incredible legacy. This year alone has seen a number of celebrations in honor of Selena.
On November 17th, Netflix is scheduled to release a documentary called “Selena y Los Dinos: A Family’s Legacy.” It features never-before-seen footage and family interviews, following Selena’s journey from childhood to fame. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year, where it won the US Documentary Special Jury Award for Archival Storytelling.