New York City’s Museum of Arts and Design is presenting the Barbie: A Cultural Icon Exhibition beginning on Oct. 19, celebrating the 65th Anniversary of Barbie and the doll’s impact on fashion and popular culture.
The exhibit, presented in collaboration with Illusion Projects and toymaker Mattel, Inc., is making its exclusive East Coast engagement in the birthplace of the Barbie doll in New York City, after debuting in 2021 and visiting Phoenix, Ariz., and Las Vegas, Nev. The exhibit features more than 250 vintage dolls, life-size fashion designs, advertisements and other ephemera, and video interviews with the doll’s designers.
“We are tickled ‘pink’ to welcome Barbie to the MAD this fall,” Tim Rodgers, Nanette L. Laitman Director, Museum of Arts and Design, said in a statement when the exhibit was announced. “The Museum has long been interested in the cultural impact of art and design in all spheres, including pop culture. More than simply a toy for make-believe and role play, Barbie has responded to and reflected nearly every significant social advancement over the last six decades.”
The exhibit, which goes beyond simply honoring a doll, is sponsored by philanthropist and women’s rights advocate Francine LeFrak, for whom Barbie has represented the changing roles of women and the progression of the empowerment of women through the generations for the last 65 years.
In celebration of the exhibit’s opening weekend, New York City is proclaiming Barbie Day and renaming Columbus Circle to Barbie Circle.
The Barbie: A Cultural Icon Exhibition features six distinct sections that track Barbie’s evolution from child’s toy to global icon. Narrative sections highlight the style trends, careers, identities, ethnicities, and even body types represented as Barbie diversified over the decades.
Curated by Karan Feder and drawn from the private collection of David Porcello and Mattel, the exhibition also includes more than 50 historical objects and five unique photo opportunities, including a life-size Barbie Mirror-Pink Corvette with which visitors can interact.
“We’re delighted to announce the opening of Barbie: A Cultural Icon at Museum of Arts and Design as we celebrate the 65th Anniversary of Barbie,” said Julie Freeland, Vice President of Global Location Based Entertainment, Mattel. “Barbie is a brand that has evolved through generations, and we can’t wait for fans of all ages to take a journey through time with us in New York City.”
The exhibition will open on Oct. 19 and run through March 16, 2025. Alongside the Barbie: A Cultural Icon Exhibition, there will be a series of related public programs and special events, along with official merchandise available in The Store at MAD.
TMX contributed to this story.
