First look at 'blockbuster' Barbie exhibition as it opens in Glasgow

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow launched *Barbie: The Exhibition* on Saturday, showcasing more than 150 Barbie dolls, accessories, and playsets dating from 1959 to today. Among the highlights is a rare 1959 hand-painted Barbie in a striped swimming costume, differing from later designs, and the 1967 redesign featuring a swinging London mod aesthetic. The exhibition also traces Barbie’s cultural impact through diverse dolls, including the first Black, Hispanic, Asian, and dolls with disabilities, alongside career-themed figures like astronauts, doctors, and musicians. The display includes two iconic Barbie Dream Houses: the original 1962 cardboard model and a 1978 version inspired by architect Frank Gehry’s mid-century rustic holiday home style. Danielle Thom, senior curator of the London Design Museum—which created the exhibition—notes the show’s timing aligns with the recent *Barbie* film, boosting interest. Super 8 footage of Barbie’s 1958 manufacture in Japan underscores the doll’s handcrafted origins, with Thom describing Barbie as a ‘canvas’ for personal aspirations. Glasgow Life, which operates Kelvingrove, predicts the exhibition will be one of the museum’s biggest draws, complementing the city’s summer schedule of events like the Commonwealth Games. Jane Rowlands, head of museums and collections, calls it a ‘blockbuster’ likely to attract significant visitors. The exhibition runs until October 18 before embarking on an undisclosed world tour.