big rbg

New revealing Ruth Bader Ginsburg exhibition holds court at Houston museum

Meet the five-foot-one giant of the Supreme Court in this new exhibit.

Image courtesy of Holocaust Museum Houston

Immersive and interactive events are all the rage in Houston these days, bringing life to historic figures — take the current Immersive Van Gogh and the new Immersive Friday Kahlo. Now, locals can get to know Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the five-foot-one giant of American politics and Supreme Court judge, in a new exhibition coming to Holocaust Museum Houston.

Houston will be the sole Texas site for “Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg” which will be on view March 11 through July 31.

This new show is based on the New York Times bestselling book and Tumblr blog of the same name, Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It is the first-ever museum exhibition focused solely on Ginsburg, who passed away in 2020 but gained a new generation of fans as her image has adorned mugs, t-shirts, posters, and bobbleheads.

In keeping with the spirit of the Notorious RBG book, the exhibit riffs off the pop-culture connection between Ginsburg (Notorious RBG) and famed rapper Notorious B.I.G. Playing on that theme, each gallery section alludes to a song or lyric from the late hip-hop star. Ginsburg’s briefs and other writings, including some of her famously searing dissents, also are woven throughout the exhibit, according to a press release.

But before she was a pop culture phenom, Ginsburg was a student, wife, mother, lawyer, judge, and women’s rights pioneer. To that end, the show features three-dimensional environments that illustrate key moments of her life, such as recreations of her childhood Brooklyn apartment and of the Supreme Court bench.

Visitors will also get a glimpse of the Supreme Court justice’s marriage to Martin “Marty” Ginsburg, her husband of more than 50 years. More imagery includes family snapshots and even some of Marty’s favorite recipes; he was the family chef.

Other draws, per press materials, include a robe and jabot from Ginsburg’s Supreme Court wardrobe; multiple listening stations where visitors can hear RBG’s delivery of oral arguments, majority opinions and dissents in landmark Supreme Court cases; yearbooks from across her academic life; the desk in her chambers, and the official portraits of she and Sandra Day O’Connor, the first two women to serve on the Supreme Court, on loan from the National Portrait Gallery.

Holocaust Museum Houston will hold special events and public programming, including a free day, March 15, which celebrates of Ginsburg’s birthday. Other key public events include the HMH NEXTGen’s Notorious Sip and Stretch Yoga March 30, Notorious RBG in Song performed by soprano/composer Patrice Michaels and internationally acclaimed pianist Andrew Harley May 18. The museum will also offer free admission during extended hours on select days.

“She may have stood only five foot one, but Justice Ginsburg was truly a giant in her work on equality and justice for all,” said HMH CEO Dr. Kelly J. Zúñiga, in a statement. “Whether you are a fan or a law scholar, this exhibition is a love letter to a true American icon. Few in history have stood taller in exemplifying what it means to be an upstander. We are honored to be the only Texas museum to host this exhibition so her remarkable story can live on to inspire others.”

---

“Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg”; Holocaust Museum Houston; 5401 Caroline St.; For tickets, schedule, and more information, visit the museum website.

openings celebrities museums

on the bright side

'First-of-its kind' Houston park reveals 6 murals by local artists

Houston artist Ade Odunfa stands in front of his mural "Salt Marsh" at the Hill at Sims.

Photo by Scott Julian, courtesy of Houston Parks Board

"Birth From the Sea" by Ade Odunfa

One of Houston's most innovative green spaces, the Hill at Sims, is edging toward completion as artists put the finishing touches on a series of six beautiful murals. They should be ready when the park has its grand opening on Saturday, May 23.

The project is being led by Harris County Precinct One Commissioner Rodney Ellis and the Houston Parks Board. Located in Sunnyside along Sims Bayou, it combines a flooding retention pond with walkways and other infrastructure to create a unique multi-use community space. Adding a series of environmentally-themed murals highlights the project's dedication to empowering nature around Sunnyside.

“When we bring art, resilience, and opportunity together in one place, we create something that can serve and inspire future generations for decades to come," said Ellis in an emailed statement. "The Hill at Sims is a community-oriented, first-of-its-kind green space in the neighborhood I grew up in. These murals honor Sunnyside, celebrate the natural world, and help turn public space into something people feel proud to protect.”

The murals include “Impression of Nature” by Emily Ding, “Step Into the Wild” by Carlos Alberto, “Birth from the Sea," a reproduction of a John Biggers’ mural by Ade Odunfa, "The Heron and the Fish” by Ana Marietta, “Rêverie” by Amy Sol inspired by Claude Debussy’s 1890 solo piano piece, and “Salt Marsh”, another Biggers reproduction by Bimbo Adenugba.

Houston is a major mural and street art city, with an increasing number of spaces using murals to showcase local talent as well as bring a sense of identity to locations like the Hill at Sims. The green space offers both a massive natural setting in a neighborhood that has traditionally been underserved in park acreage with an elevated point to view the whole city, a rare treat in a place as flat as Houston. Thanks to the Bayou Greenways Project, a 150-mile series of trails that connects parks across Houston, people can walk or bike to the Hills at Sims if they choose to.

"Our goal is for every person who visits this park to feel that Hill at Sims truly represents the Sunnyside community. Public art is a powerful and joyful way to evoke feelings of connection and stewardship in public settings,” said Justin Schultz, President and CEO, Houston Parks Board, in an emailed statement. “Houston Parks Board is proud to support Commissioner Ellis to bring Sunnyside residents a transformative, multi-benefit greenspace that captures the spirit of Houston: turning our climate challenges into vibrant community assets.”

The total cost of Hill at Sims is $28.3 million. Funding comes from Precinct One ($18.8 million), The Brown Foundation ($7.5 million), with an additional $2 million from public federal and state funds secured by State Representative Alma Allen and Congressman Al Green. When complete, it will feature a 1.6 mile basin loop trail, water access pier, a parking lot, a 2,000-square-foot open air pavilion with restrooms, flexible lawn space for active programming, and picnic pavilions.

parks visual-art hills at sims anderson