Barbie Exhibition Arrives in Scotland
An exhibition tracing the evolution of Barbie is set to open in Scotland for the first time.
Barbie: The Exhibition explores the doll's history from its inception in 1959 through to the present day, featuring a variety of items such as clothing, vehicles, and playsets.
The exhibition, which includes over 150 dolls, will be held at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow from Friday until 18 October.
Among the exhibits is a rare, hand-painted first edition Barbie. Also on display are the first black, Hispanic, and Asian versions of the doll, which inspired the 2024 blockbuster film starring Margot Robbie.
Visitors will also see rare Barbie Dreamhouses and accessories, as well as the first Barbie dolls representing individuals with Down's Syndrome and those using a wheelchair.
Design Museum's Role and Exhibition Highlights
The exhibition, organized by the Design Museum and previously showcased in London, includes dedicated sections focusing on Ken and the influence of the Barbie brand on fashion, film, creativity, and popular culture.
Danielle Thom, senior curator at the Design Museum, described the exhibition as a "riot of colour" that will provide "a hit of nostalgia" for visitors.
"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.
But Barbie has, of course, had an outsized cultural impact and cultural presence and so inevitably Barbie has had an impact on design as well as being shaped by it."
Appeal and Significance in Glasgow
Jane Rowlands, head of museums and collections at Glasgow Life, the organization managing the museum, stated that the exhibition will attract a diverse audience.
"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."
Bailie Annette Christie, chairwoman of Glasgow Life, emphasized the exhibition's importance to Scotland's cultural scene.
"The exhibition will be one of the standout cultural experiences of the summer" in Scotland.
