Olivia Benson is officially a part of American history.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit just received a huge honor.
The newest piece of American history was just introduced into the hallowed halls of the Smithsonian Institution: an authentic Olivia Benson SVU costume. In a September 10 Instagram post, Mariska Hargitay visited the famous Washington, DC, museum and helped unveil the exhibit to the world.
“DUN DUN 🚨 Mariska Hargitay (@therealmariskahargitay) and series creator Dick Wolf (@wolfentertainment) personally came to our @amhistorymuseum to donate a piece of Hargitay’s wardrobe from her iconic role as Olivia Benson in @nbclawandorder. Law & Order: SVU is the longest-running primetime, live-action series in American history,” the museum wrote on Instagram.
Let’s be honest: that costume looks just as badass hanging on a mannequin as it does when Hargitay wears it.
The Smithsonian, the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, doesn’t add items to its vault on a whim. According to museum curator Ryan Lintelman, the reasoning behind adding a Benson outfit to the Smithsonian’s collection is powerful and moving.
“We collect costumes from television and entertainment history because they help us to talk to visitors about important series that have shaped national debates, shaped people’s identities, helped them to understand the world around them,” Lintelman explained. “In the case of Law & Order: SVU, there’s so much to be said about the justice system, about sexual violence, about survivors and how they heal. This show really helps Americans understand that and have more empathy for those people and those situations.”
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Hargitay was at the exhibit’s unveiling, looking honored and happy to be part of the festivities. It was a proud day for the feminist icon.
“We are at the Smithsonian and my Olivia Benson costume has been donated, so I am extremely proud and extremely honored. Am I allowed to touch it? No,” she quipped.
For over 25 years, Hargitay has taken her role in the show to heart, and everything the 60-year-old star does outside the show in many ways mirrors the actions of Benson on-screen. Hargitay stressed what this costume unveiling means in terms of her personal mission:
“The act of listening to survivors is taking its vital place at the Smithsonian and is part of the American story,'” she said.
Season 26 of SVU premieres Thursday, October 3, 2024, and Hargitay — who shared a fantastic behind-the-scenes photo with her co-stars in August — recently revealed she’s looking to continue to push the Benson character even further in the new season.
In an interview this year with Hemispheres Magazine, the star reflected on Benson, her place in television history, and what she expects from the new season.
“[25 seasons] has given us this very unique opportunity to do something unprecedented,” she explained. “It’s the longest-running show in history, and it’s not by accident that Benson’s progression mirrors the exact evolution of women in broader society. She’s kind of the greatest feminist character ever, in that way… She rose up through the ranks, became a leader, and now captain — all while being a mother. Let’s see how far we can take it, you know?”
