Where-To-Go Wednesday - Barbie: A Cultural Icon

We received complimentary tickets to the Museum of Arts and Design for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own. 

What: Barbie:  A Cultural Icon

Where: Museum of Arts and Design

             2 Columbus Circle

              New York, NY

Who: All ages

When: Through March 16. 2025

The current Barbie exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Design mainly focuses on Barbie's style, but plenty of dolls are on display too. Although many are not differentiated from each other as specific types of Barbies, some are. Some dolls depict famous people like Tina Turner, Billie Jean King, and Madame CJ Walker. Others represent Barbie's recent movie toward more diversity including a wheelchair-bound Barbie, a blind Barbie, and a bald Barbie. There are even dolls related to the recent Barbie film plus an original 1959 Barbie.

The exhibit includes many of Barbie's friends some of whom have been previously retired. There are numerous Kens. There are PJs, Kellys, Christies,  and more. However,  no dolls represent Barbie's first little sister, Skipper. 

 The numerous outfits in the exhibit represent an overview of Barbie's over 6o years of history. They range from farm girl outfits to glamourous gowns and from old-fashioned dresses to psychedelic 60s clothes and beyond plus so much more. There are also a plethora of outfits representing the numerous careers Barbie has engaged in over the years. She has been a nurse, a doctor, a ballerina, and an astronaut to name but a few. 

The exhibit also provides the opportunity to learn how Barbies are made plus interactive aspects. Old Barbie commercials are available to watch throughout the space. Plus there are numerous opportunities for pictures including sitting in a Barbie car or standing next to a Barbie surfboard. If you are a Barbie fan, you'll love this exhibit, and if so, expect to spend a lot of time here.

And that's our view. For more about Barbie: A Cultural Icon or to purchase tickets online, visit madmuseum.org/exhibition/barbie-cultural-icon

Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

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