Barbie: Original costumes from Margot Robbie film, Dream House go on show in Glasgow exhibition - dates, dolls
Barbie: The Exhibition will be the first ever in Scotland dedicated to the doll franchise
A “rare” example of the first ever Dream House from 1962 and original costumes from the 2023 Barbie The Movie will be among exhibits to go on show in the Scottish premiere of a major exhibition dedicated to the much-loved doll.
Barbie: The Exhibition, which launched in July last year in the Design Museum in London, will open at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum next year in the first ever display in Scotland dedicated to Barbie.
The exhibition, which attracted more than 144,000 visitors during its time in London, will explore the history and design of one of the world’s most famous dolls and celebrate the enduring influence of the brand over almost 70 years.
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A rare example of the first ever Barbie Dream House, released in 1962, made from cardboard and sporting the distinctly modernist design of its era, will be among the Barbie homes on show.
Meanwhile, an original first edition Barbie from 1959, hand-painted and featuring Barbie in a black-and-white bathing suit, will also be on display.
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Visitors will also be able to see examples of Barbie vehicles, such as the first car - also from 1962 - and the first campervan from 1971, alongside a whole range of other “locations” from ski cabins to space stations and 150 different Barbie dolls.
Some original costumes worn by actors in the 2023 hit film, Barbie The Movie, starring Margot Robbie, will also be on display.
Bailie Annette Christie, chair of Glasgow Life, said: “This will be the first time a Scottish museum has staged a major exhibition devoted to Barbie. Barbie is not just an icon, but a creative force that has sparked excitement, ideas and conversations for decades.
“Glasgow Life is delighted to be working with the Design Museum and Mattel to give visitors an opportunity to get up close to some of the most significant and instantly recognisable Barbie dolls from nearly 70 years. For generations of Barbie fans and new audiences alike, this promises to be a joyful and memorable experience.”
Visitors will also be able to see Barbie’s first-ever TV advert, offering a glimpse of how Barbie “the doll” quickly developed into Barbie “the brand”.
Tim Marlow, director and chief executive of the Design Museum, said: "Design has been at the heart of the Barbie story ever since the creation of the first doll 66 years ago and the impact has evolved with each new generation.
“Before we opened the exhibition at the Design Museum last year we expressed the hope that it would be a joyful, fascinating, inspiring, illuminating and even nostalgic experience for generations of Barbie fans – and it was all those things and more, with public interest exceeding even our confident expectations.
Mr Marlow added: “I have no doubt that in another world-class museum in Glasgow, this engagement will continue and we look forward to seeing both the exhibition re-staged and new audiences encountering a re-framed cultural icon."
Barbie was created in 1959 by Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel, who named the doll after her daughter Barbara.
Kim Culmone, senior vice-president of design for Mattel, said: “Since her debut in 1959, Barbie has become an international icon and inspiration that continues to spark conversation, creativity, and self-expression around the world.
“This exhibition tells the story of Barbie through a design lens, including fashion, architecture, furniture, and vehicle design, which are all spaces where she has left a mark on culture during her remarkable more than 65-year legacy.”
The exhibition will open at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum on June 13, 2026 and run until October 18, 2026.
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