Val Valentine selected as recipient of the 2023 BHoF Living Legend Award            

CONGRATULATIONS VAL VALENTINE! Val Valentine has been selected as this year’s recipient of the BHoF LIVING LEGEND AWARD! Awarded annually during the BHoF Weekender (June 1-4 this year!), the BHoF Living Legend Award recognizes performers who built an exemplary career during burlesque’s classic era and continue to distinguish themselves by

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TIgger performs "Emperor's New Clothes" at 2014 BHoF Weekender

New Display: Fans from Tigger!’s “Emperor’s New Clothes” Act

With his characteristic generosity, 2006 Besy Boylesque winner Tigger! has allowed us to display this exquisite set of fans from his famous “Emperor’s New Clothes” act, as performed on stage at the BHoF Weekender in 2014. Dancer, actor, and burlesque artist Tigger! began incorporating striptease into their performances in the

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Detail of Corinne cigarette card

Corinne, “Queen of the Stage”

You know the story: a child performer exploited by her demanding and exploitative mother to perform all over the country. The grueling road life leaving little time for basic schooling and attracting the attention of child welfare agents. The drive to ever-greater heights of fame and fortune at the expense

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#MuseumAtHome: Hispanic and Latin Heritage Month 2021

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Burlesque Hall of Fame has partnered with burlesque historian and performer Bella Sin to highlight the careers and contributions of performers throughout the Latin burlesque world. New material will be released daily on our Instagram and Facebook pages, and this page will be

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Congratulations to Bambi Jones, Recipient of our 2021 Living Legend Award!

It is with great pleasure that we announce this year’s recipient of the BHoF Living Legend Award: the Fairy Kush Mother herself, Bambi Jones! The Living Legend Award recognizes performers who created distinguished careers for themselves during the heyday of burlesque and who continue to distinguish themselves through their involvement

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Transgender Day of Visibility: Honoring Marinka

Today is International Transgender Day of Visibility. In the spirit of this event, we would like to honor the late Marinka, Queen of the Amazons, who made herself visible when she came out as transgender in her autobiography titled Marinka, from Havana to Burlesque. Born and raised in Cuba, Marinka,

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Jennie Lee and other dancersprotest in front of the LA Herald-Examiner, 1959

#MuseumAtHome: National Puzzle Day!

Today is National Puzzle Day! Playing puzzles whether they be crossword, jigsaw, trivia, word searches, brain teasers or Sudoku, puzzles put our minds to work. Studies have found that when we work on a jigsaw puzzle, we use both sides of our brain. Working on puzzles stimulate the brain improving

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New in Our Collection: Sheet Music for “I’m Just Wild About Harry”

Sheet music for “I’m Just Wild About Harry” from the musical Shuffle AlongLyrics by Noble Sissle, Music by Eubie Blake (M.W. & Sons, 1921) Shuffle Along was a 1921 Broadway musical comedy. It was groundbreaking in many ways, being the first all-Black written and performed Broadway production. Additionally, it is

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Trick or treat! Check out our virtual Halloween tour!

Experience a darker side of BHoF! For a limited time, take a virtual tour of burlesque’s haunted history. Whose ghost dwells in the theater where Sally Rand once performed? What cursed color would burlesque’s legends never be caught undead in? And OMG, what is that thing?!?! Join the staff of

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Black and white photo of burlesque dancer Zorita, nude save high heels and a corset held against her chest, laying on a teardrop-shaped settee which has been colored orange over the original image.

#MuseumAtHome: Burlesque Arrests

From its earliest arrival on US shores, burlesque has posed a challenge to local authorities charged with upholding local standards of “decency”. Whether it was women wearing men’s clothing (which was against the law in many municipalities until well into the 20th century) or women wearing not enough clothing (or

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