An exhibition tracing Barbie's evolution promises a "riot of colour" and a "hit of nostalgia" for visitors of all ages, according to curators. Barbie: The Exhibition, making its Scottish debut, chronicles the doll's history from 1959 through to today and showcases items including clothes, vehicles and playsets.
The display, featuring more than 150 dolls, launches at Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum on Saturday, June 13 and continues until October 18. Among the pieces on show is a rare, hand-painted first edition Barbie, displayed alongside the first black, Hispanic and Asian versions of the doll.
Rare Barbie Dreamhouses and accessories will also feature, as will the first Barbie with Down's Syndrome and the first in a wheelchair. The exhibition is presented by Glasgow Life in partnership with the Design Museum, London and Mattel.
A Design Story
Danielle Thom, senior curator at the Design Museum, told the Press Association: "It's now 67 years since the doll was first introduced in 1959 and the story we're telling here is fundamentally a design story, because the Barbie doll is an object that is designed, and the furniture and the fashions and all of the accessories that go along with it are designed with intent and with care."
"But Barbie has, of course, had an outsized cultural impact and cultural presence over these last 67 years, and so inevitably Barbie has had an impact on design as well as being shaped by it, so that two-way relationship between the doll, the doll's world, and the wider world of design is the story that we're telling here."
Speaking about the exhibition, she added: "Overall it's a riot of colour, and I think that visitors of all ages will be able to get a hit of nostalgia, regardless of which era of Barbie they are most familiar with from their childhood."
Standout Pieces
Among the standout pieces in the show are some of the most beloved dolls from across the decades, including the 1971 Sunset Malibu Barbie and the 1985 Day to Night Barbie, whose pink work suit could be transformed into an evening gown. The exhibition will also feature two versions of 1992's Totally Hair Barbie, whose lengthy locks extended all the way down to her toes.
Jane Rowlands, head of museums and collections at Glasgow Life, which operates the museum, explained that the exhibition will resonate with a broad spectrum of visitors. She commented: "There are people who will remember playing with the doll and inventing their own world of Barbie when they were children, but also we've got a newer audience given the recent film a couple of years ago."
"Over a number of generations, people have enjoyed playing with Barbie, playing with Barbie's friends and the dream houses and the vehicles, so there really is something for everybody, whether you're interested in fashion or design or the cultural history over the past 60 years."
Barbie's Friends and Film Costumes
The exhibition also showcases many of Barbie's friends, including a dedicated section on Ken which charts his evolution since his first appearance in 1961. Additionally, there's a Barbie Land section, featuring costumes from the 2023 Barbie film.
Bailie Annette Christie, chairwoman of Glasgow Life, said: "We know this exhibition will be one of the standout cultural experiences of the summer, attracting visitors from across Glasgow, Scotland and beyond."
Tim Marlow, director and chief executive of the Design Museum, said: "Before we opened the exhibition at the Design Museum in 2024, we expressed the hope that it would be a joyful, fascinating, inspiring, illuminating and even nostalgic experience for generations of Barbie fans – and it was all those things and more, with public interest exceeding even our confident expectations."
"I have no doubt that, in another world-class museum in Glasgow, this engagement will continue and we look forward to seeing both the exhibition restaged and new audiences encountering a reframed cultural icon."
Tickets for the exhibition are available at glasgowlife.org.uk/barbie.
