"Law & Order" Threads of Justice Find a Place at the Smithsonian

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will accept a costume worn by actress Mariska Hargitay in her role as Capt. Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit during a Sept. 9 ceremony. Law & Order: SVU Creator and Executive Producer, Dick Wolf alongside Hargitay will present her detective suit and badge, used in the production of “Third Man Syndrome” (Season 25, Episode 8) that aired March 21.

Law & Order: SVU (1999–present), part of the Law & Order brand of police procedurals, chronicles the lives of the Special Victims Unit of the New York Police Department. Benson is depicted as a passionate advocate for victims as the show grapples with topics of rape, sexual violence, child abuse and human trafficking. The costume includes a shirt, jeans, belt, blazer, pair of boots, earrings and a gold detective’s shield.
 

“Mariska Hargitay has done invaluable work in destigmatizing and advocating for women and all sexual assault survivors, both on television and in real life,” said Anthea Hartig, the museum’s Elizabeth MacMillan Director. “Her character’s unwavering dedication to justice and her personal commitment to providing support for survivors are qualities we should all strive for.”

Law & Order: SVU is the longest-running prime-time live-action series on American television, and Benson is the longest-running drama character on prime-time television. It is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, and Wolf Entertainment. Law & Order: SVU has received 108 television award nominations, winning 33 awards, including six Emmy Awards and three People’s Choice Awards. Hargitay made history as the first performer from any Law & Order franchise series to win an Emmy with her 2006 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She was also the first from the franchise to win a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Drama Series.

Hargitay’s off-screen impact is just as far-reaching as her on-screen character’s. In 2004, she established the Joyful Heart Foundation, a national organization working to transform society’s response to sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse and to support survivors’ healing.

This acquisition follows the recent opening of the museum’s “Forensic Science on Trial” exhibition that focuses on how science has historically been used in criminal trials. An early sexual assault examination kit, which standardized the process of collecting and preserving evidence, is in the exhibition. Collected in conjunction with the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, it was co-developed by Martha Goddard and Louis Vitullo. This technology is prominent in Law & Order: SVU as forensic evidence is collected to seek justice for survivors. Hargitay’s work with the Joyful Heart Foundation’s “End the Backlog” campaign focuses on bringing the backlog of untested kits to an end and reforming the handling and processing of kits nationwide. Law & Order: SVU is one of the fictional television shows that reflects America viewers’ interest in true crime.

Through incomparable collections, rigorous research and dynamic public outreach, the National Museum of American History seeks to empower people to create a more just and compassionate future by examining, preserving and sharing the complexity of our past. The museum, located on Constitution Avenue N.W., between 12th and 14th streets, is open daily except Dec. 25, between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Admission is free. The doors of the museum are always open online and the virtual museum continues to expand its offerings, including online exhibitions, PK–12 educational materials and programs. The public can follow the museum on social media on Instagram and Facebook. For more information, go to https://americanhistory.si.edu. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000. 

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