Punk has meant different things to different people. It is a sound, a look, an ideology, and a lifeline—its definition shifting with geography and time. Yet the term endures. Outsiders, Outcasts, Rebels + Weirdos: Punk Culture 1976–86 explores the connective tissue of “punk” by tracing key music scenes across the United States and the United Kingdom, with a focus on New York, London, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. Opening at the Skirball Cultural Center in spring 2026 in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of punk in the United States,* this original exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the history of punk, where outsiders rewired the culture.
This exhibition also explores the often-overlooked relationship between Jewish musicians and the punk scene—particularly in New York. It asks: What role did Jewish punk musicians play? Did that connection matter? How did it become complicated? And why has the Jewish presence in punk so often been overlooked or dismissed? Outsiders, Outcasts, Rebels + Weirdos does not offer definitive answers. Instead, we foreground the voices of those who lived it and invite visitors to question, reflect, and draw their own conclusions.
The exhibition will highlight the stories of Jewish punks and fellow travelers including Malcolm McLaren, plus members of the Ramones, the Circle Jerks, the Dictators, Bad Religion, Blondie, Suicide, Jonathan Richman, the Patti Smith Group, and more. By centering these narratives within the broader story of punk, the exhibition underscores how artists from many communities helped shape a movement that continues to challenge norms around identity, power, and belonging.
Featuring more than 500 objects and pieces of ephemera, Outsiders, Outcasts, Rebels + Weirdos brings this history into sharp focus—from handmade flyers, zines, buttons, and posters to early clothing by fashion designers Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren. These iconic garments, alongside photographs, video, film, and other artifacts, anchor visitors in the visual and material world of punk while opening space for lesser-known stories. This exhibition is more than a celebration of a music scene. It is a deep dive into how a generation of misfits challenged the rules, reimagined community, and helped reshape culture from the margins.
