NMAD Hosts Opening Celebration of the Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection Exhibit
On September 12, 2024, the National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) hosted a reception to celebrate the opening of the Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection exhibit. The exhibit tells the stories of Secretary Madeleine Albright’s famed pins, which she often used to convey foreign policy messages.
From 2009 to 2018, the original Read My Pins exhibit traveled to twenty-two museums and presidential libraries. In 2016, Secretary Albright pledged to donate 200 of her pins and the Read My Pins exhibition to the National Museum of American Diplomacy, and we’re honored to be their home. The current exhibit, exclusively on display at NMAD, includes a selection of more than 60 pins and their stories.
The program featured remarks from Acting Under Secretary of Public Diplomacy Lee Satterfield. “Her dedication to American diplomacy was unwavering and her pins became her trademark, which she continued to collect and use even after leaving the State Department,” said Satterfield.
Satterfield spoke about the importance of music diplomacy, both to U.S. public diplomacy Secretary Albright herself. Jazz singer Rayshun LaMarr performed with Luke Frazier and members of the American Pops Orchestra as a tribute to Albright’s love of jazz, which she also expressed through her pins.
Secretary Albright’s daughter Katie Albright also offered remarks, sharing personal stories about her mother and her relationship with the pins. She said Secretary Albright saw the pins as an “educational tool to teach diplomacy” and that “she loved the idea of having her pins permanently displayed here.”
Acting Director of NMAD Todd Kinser offered thanks to Elaine Shocas, Jacob Freedman, and the Albright family for their collaboration on the exhibit. He referenced Secretary Albright’s long support for the Museum, since originally approving the initial plan for the Museum in 2000. “Her belief in the mission of this museum and its potential impact is what inspired her to entrust her pin collection to us, and we are grateful to have them on display in the exhibit you will get to view tonight,” said Kinser.
In addition to Katie Albright, Secretary Albright’s other two daughters, Anne Albright and Alice Albright, were also in attendance, as well as friends and family of Secretary Albright.
Other honored guests included many members of the diplomatic corps. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii also attended the celebration.
While only 61 pins are on display with this current exhibit, the complete collection on loan to NMAD includes over 200 pins. The permanent home for this exhibit will be at NMAD in the Mezzanine of the Historic Lobby in the Harry S Truman building. Secretary Albright will donate the exhibition to NMAD upon the completion of the gallery. The collection includes the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to her by President Barack Obama in 2012 and items from the set of the television show Madam Secretary.
While the Museum is not yet able to accommodate walk-in visitors, guests can view the exhibit by attending a public program. Educational groups can also request tours of the museum or facilitated diplomacy simulations.
For questions, please email nmad-press@state.gov
