[Exhibition Opening] Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection

Presented by Lexus of Austin and Lakeway, Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection opens at the LBJ Presidential Library on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017, and will be on view through Sunday, Jan. 21, 2018.

Shortly after becoming a diplomat, Madeleine Albright discovered the power of jewelry to convey a foreign policy message. Before long, she began selecting appropriate pins and brooches to wear to particular meetings, visually expressing her high hopes, determination, impatience, or warm feelings. The jewelry, described by Albright as "Pins of the People," soon became her diplomatic signature.

The exhibition, filled with more than 200 beautiful and vibrant pins and brooches from Albright's personal collection, examines the jewelry for their historic significance as well as for their expressive power and ability to communicate through a style and language of their own.

And after nine years as a traveling exhibition, Read My Pins will end its run at the LBJ Library. We encourage visitors to take this last opportunity to view Albright's collection in an exhibition setting.

Also opening on Oct. 28 and only at the LBJ Library, see a display of jewelry worn by Lady Bird and President Johnson.  

Additional exhibition details
Read My Pins will be accompanied by a book, Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box, published by HarperCollins. It will be available for sale in The Store at LBJ.

Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection has been organized by the Museum of Arts and Design, New York. Generous support for this exhibition has been provided by Bren Simon. Support for the catalogue Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomat’s Jewel Box, has been provided by St. John Knits.

About Albright
Madeleine K. Albright is chair of Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm, and chair of Albright Capital Management LLC, an investment advisory firm focused on emerging markets. Dr. Albright was the 64th Secretary of State of the United States. In 1997, she was named the first female Secretary of State and became, at that time, the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government. From 1993 to 1997, Dr. Albright served as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations and was a member of the President's Cabinet. She is a Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. Dr. Albright chairs the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs. She is also the president of the Truman Scholarship Foundation. In 2012, she was chosen by President Obama to receive the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in recognition of her contributions to international peace and democracy.