Dive into this iconic brand’s history, featuring rare items from the Mattel Inc. archive.
In 2024, Design Museum launches a major new exhibition on Barbie, one of the world’s most famous dolls, coinciding with the 65th anniversary of the iconic brand. Curated by Danielle Thom and in collaboration with Mattel Inc., the museum was granted special access to the extensive Barbie archives in California.
The exhibition will feature rare items alongside key loans that together explore Barbie's design evolution in fashion, architecture, furniture, and vehicle design from 1959, when her inventor Ruth Handler sought to create a different narrative for her daughter, Barbara. The exhibition promises a comprehensive journey through six-and-a-half decades of the renowned doll's cultural impact.
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Visitor information
Address
224-238 Kensington High Street, Kensington, London, Greater London, W8 6AG
020 3862 5900
Opening times
Open daily, 10am – 6pm (last exhibition entry 5pm) The museum is open late on Fridays and Saturdays until 9pm (last admission 7pm).
Please check the museum's website for updates.
Exclusions and safety measures
All visitors, except members, must pre-book tickets online for paid exhibitions.
Our permanent collection is free and open daily from 10:00 to 17:45, no pre-booking is needed.
Cashless purchases only. Credit/debit card or mobile payments will be accepted at the shops. However, a £1 coin is needed for the lockers (a token can be purchased by card at our Ground floor shop).
Our bike parking capacity has been doubled so that more people can cycle to the museum.
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