Barbie: A Cultural Icon, a new exhibit at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, is bringing more than six decades of fashion, culture and nostalgia to Richmond — with a special spotlight on six specific Barbies connected to the commonwealth.
The traveling exhibit traces Barbie’s evolution from her 1959 debut to the present day, giving visitors a closer look at how the famous doll came to life and has remained relevant for roughly seven decades.
Associate Curator Elizabeth Klaczynski said the Barbie dolls on display also reflect the changes in opportunities for women over the last 67 years.
“Barbie has now had over 250 careers. She’s been president seven times,” Klaczynski said. “One of the things I think that is most special about this exhibit is you can see, decade by decade, how Barbie’s evolution has really reflected the changing roles of women in American society.”
Klaczynski added that the exhibition also places an emphasis on diversity and inclusion: “Barbie started off with a sort of very singular identity, and now she has over 35 skin tones, multiple different body types, different hairstyles, different levels of ability.”
Flipping through the doll catalog in preparation for the exhibit, Klaczynski said she was both surprised and delighted to discover Barbie had six Virginia-inspired dolls, which now make up the “Virginia is for Barbie” collection.
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