Grace Kelly Exhibit: Philadelphia Hosts Tribute To Late Hometown Star's Life

Grace Kelly is getting the posthumous star treatment from her beloved hometown of Philadelphia. James A. Michener Art Museum officials said Sunday at the Hotel Monaco that it would be hosting a tribute to the late star, known best for her work in Hitchcock's "To Catch A Thief" and "The Country Girl." The exhibit is meant to showcase her style, work and hometown roots. Family members expressed gratitude at the press conference and said she took Philadelphia in her heart wherever she went.

"She had her Philadelphia roots with her wherever she went, from Hollywood to Monaco," Christopher Le Vine, her nephew, said.

Kelly made her debut at the Bucks County Playhouse in 1949 before she got her big break in Hollywood. She received an Oscar for her role in "The Country Girl" in 1955, but quit acting one year later at the age of 26 to marry Prince Rainier III of Monaco. There she became known for her advocacy work, eventually becoming president of Monaco's Red Cross. She had three children: Princess Caroline, Princess Stéphanie, and Prince Albert II, the current ruler of Monaco. In 1982, Kelly died in a car crash in the south of France with Stephanie, who survived the incident, in the car.

"I am deeply touched by your interest in my mother and her rich legacy," Prince Albert said in a video message at the conference. "I hope that through experiencing this exhibition you will be able to get a glimpse of the real Grace Kelly, the woman beyond the icon, my mother."

The exhibit will be entitled "Grace Kelly: Beyond The Icon," and will be opening Oct. 28. Guests will be able to view exclusive photos, film clips, home movies, her Oscar for "The Country Girl," and select pieces of her wardrobe.