New Barbie exhibit featuring one-of-a-kind dolls is coming to London

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Featuring over 250 objects and 180 “rare and unique” dolls, this exhibit will be showcasing Barbie’s influence on design and popular culture in the 20th century. Display items will include Dreamhouses, props, one-of-a-kind prototypes as well as a huge range of first edition dolls including the original Barbie herself.

“I think it’s valid to see Barbie as a design phenomenon,” said Curator Danielle Thom. “We are not just talking about the doll itself but the world of Barbie, the universe of Barbie, and the design of that has a really interesting story to tell in terms of how it relates to the design of our own world.

“If you trace the design history of Barbie it’s basically the design history of the late 20th and 21st centuries in microcosm.”

So, this Barbie is excited, what about you? Here’s how you can get some tickets.

Buy Barbie: The Exhibition tickets

Watch Barbie on Amazon Prime Video

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What’s on display at Barbie: The Exhibition?

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The Exhibition has over 250 objects on display including “rare, unique and innovative dolls” dating back to 1959. Among the 180 dolls on display is the first-ever Barbie, affectionately coined “Number One” Barbie by the exhibit as well as the groundbreaking Day to Night Barbie from 1985 and the best-selling Barbie of all time, 1992’s Totally Hair Barbie.

They’ll also be showcasing the first talking Barbie, the first Black, Hispanic and Asian Barbies, plus the first Barbie to use a wheelchair and the first to have Down’s Syndrome.

Barbie will also be joined by a tonne of her friends – every night is girls’ night don’t you know! – such as Midge, Christie and Teresa.

You’ll also be able to see a sublime collection of Ken dolls, showing his evolution from 1961 to Ryan Gosling.

Last but not least, on display will be a range of dreamhouses, vehicles, pets and props all giving Barbiecore the respect and admiration it deserves.

Where can I see Barbie: The Exhibition?

Barbie is celebrating her anniversary at the Design Museum.

Although still a part of London’s beautiful Museum District, the Design sits away from other major museums, like the Natural History, on Kensington High Street. To get there, we’d suggest getting the London Overground (on the new Mildmay line) or the District Line to Kensington Olympia.

You can still walk to the venue from South Kensington (on the Circle, District and Piccadilly lines), but this will take about 30 minutes.

How long is Barbie: The Exhibition in London for?

The exhibition will run from 5th July 2024 to 23rd February 2025 so you’ll have plenty of time to stop by.

Visitors can attend from 10am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 6pm on Fridays and Sundays. Once the exhibition starts on 5th July the museum will also be open on Saturdays from 10am to 9pm.

How much do tickets for Barbie: The Exhibition cost?

The Museum is offering both Standard and Off-Peak pricing for all ticket types including adults, children, concessions and family groups.

For Off-Peak, prices start at £7.19 for children and £14.38 for adults – although this will be rounded up to £8 and £16 if you choose to include a donation. Concessions will have to pay at least £10.77 while members and children under the age of 6 can get in for free.

Need a bit more info? Here's a full list of the Off-Peak and Standard prices (donation not included):