Thirty years after the death of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles will host a special exhibit honoring the late Tejano singer. The exhibit, titled “Selena: From Texas to the World,” is scheduled to run from January 15 to March 16, 2026.
The display was curated with input from Suzette Quintanilla, Selena’s sister and president of Q Productions. Artifacts from the Selena Museum in Corpus Christi, Texas, will be shown outside of Texas for the first time. Kelsey Goelz, curator at the Grammy Museum, told The Associated Press that Suzette Quintanilla “really handpicked the items that we’re going to have the pleasure of displaying in the pop up.” Goelz added, “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?”
Among about 15 items coming from the Selena Museum are her white beaded gown worn at the 1994 Grammy Awards—where she won best Mexican/Mexican American album—and a leather outfit featured on her “Amor Prohibido” album cover. Also included are hoop earrings and a microphone used during her final performance.
Goelz described these objects as personal and significant: “I think the most spectacular (item) would be her Grammy gown that she wore to the ’94 Grammys, when she won best Mexican/Mexican American album. It’s a very beautiful white beaded gown,” she said. “And then also the leather outfit she wore on the cover (of her 1994 album) ‘Amor Prohibido,’ the ruffle collar, the hoop earrings. Just, like, these little things, like the hoop earrings, make Selena, Selena. We’re also getting the microphone she used in her final performance that still has her lipstick on it.”
“It’s just so intimate and it’s so special to get to bring this to LA,” Goelz continued.
Chris Pérez, who was married to Selena and played guitar in her band Selena y Los Dinos, has lent guitars from his personal collection for this exhibit.
Other items include Selena’s Grammy award and Lifetime Achievement Award as well as fashion sketches made during her teenage years. Exhibit descriptions will be available in both English and Spanish.
Goelz said there will also be interactive elements for visitors: “We really want to create an experience that’s interactive.”
Suzette Quintanilla stated: “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 became widely known in the early 1990s with hits such as “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “Como la Flor,” and “Amor Prohibido.” She was recognized for blending Tejano music with pop and cumbia styles and for breaking barriers for women in Latin music. Her influence continues today as regional Mexicana music gains global recognition.
In addition to musical achievements, Selena received a posthumous star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 2017; attendance at this event set a record according to representatives from Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
A biographical film released in 1997 further cemented her cultural impact by bringing wider attention both to her life story and lead actress Jennifer Lopez.
