This week at the London Design Museum, a Barbie that was in orbit around the planet for six months will be on public exhibit for the first time.
It will be a part of a new exhibition in honor of Barbie’s 65th anniversary, which opens on Friday in collaboration with Mattel, the company that created the doll.
The first female ISS commander, Samantha Cristoforetti, was the inspiration behind the Barbie’s design. As the first European woman to successfully execute a spacewalk, Cristoforetti was accompanied on the expedition by her lookalike, Barbie.
There will be videos on display of Cristoforetti answering questions from space to encourage young girls to become scientists and astronauts — all while floating in zero gravity alongside the Barbie.
“We’re so excited that the first time anyone can see Samantha’s doll since it returned from the International Space Station is at the Design Museum this summer,” said curator Danielle Thom.
“Its remarkable journey on Samantha’s history-making mission 400 kilometres above the Earth was one of the most dramatic moments in Barbie’s evolving story.”
“Thrilled” that her Barbie will have a “starring role” in the exhibition, Cristoforetti expressed her excitement.
A limited edition of the first Barbie with a space theme will be on exhibit, highlighting other ties between Barbie and space.
Four years before Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, in 1965, Barbie made her debut as an astronaut with the production of the silver “Miss Astronaut” doll.
In 1985, a second Barbie wearing a metallic pink spacesuit went on sale following Sally Ride’s historic spaceflight as the first American woman in space.
A 1968 Talking Barbie prototype and one of the initial first edition Barbie dolls are among the other rare dolls.
Charting the changing design of Barbie through time, the exhibition will also include friends of Barbie including Midge, and a while section dedicated to Ken, Barbie’s male companion.Ever since the “Barbie” movie starring Margot Robbie hit cinemas and broke box office records last year, the doll has become ever-more prominent in popular culture, making forays into fashion, music, and now design.
