Barbie®: The Exhibition

Celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Barbie brand in 2024, the exhibition explores the story of Barbie through a design lens, including fashion, architecture, furniture and vehicle design.

Highlights include a rare first edition of the very first doll released by Mattel in 1959 (‘Number 1 Barbie’), the groundbreaking Day to Night Barbie from 1985 and the best-selling Barbie of all time, 1992’s Totally Hair Barbie which sold over 10 million across the globe.

Other dolls highlight the diversity of the Barbie range, with examples of the first Black, Hispanic and Asian dolls to bear the Barbie name, as well as dolls that reflect today’s diverse, multicultural society, including the first Barbie with Down syndrome, the first to use a wheelchair, and the first to be designed with a curvy body shape.

We also showcase the friends of Barbie, including her first friend, Midge, and the much-loved Christie and Teresa; as well as the younger sister of Barbie, Skipper. There is also be a section dedicated to Ken, which sees six decades’ worth of Ken dolls on show, showing his evolution from his introduction in 1961.

Other objects from this historic brand include Dreamhouses, vehicles and furniture, including the first ever Barbie Dreamhouse™ from 1962. Together these items show how Barbie’s homes, vehicles and other products have all helped to design the universe in which she exists and has always reflected the tastes and trends of day, engaging with modern design in an aspirational but accessible way.