Barbie: The exhibition makes Australian debut at Melbourne Museum
Venture through the design eras of the world’s most famous doll.
First edition Barbie and Barbie’s 65th Anniversary doll. Source: Mattel ©2006
MELBOURNE, Australia, 13 June 2026 - Melbourne Museum today announced Barbie®: The Exhibition will make its Australian debut from 28 November 2026, in partnership with Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT), a leading global play and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. Tickets go on sale today, World Doll Day.
Created by the Design Museum, London, the exhibition will explore the history and design of one of the world’s most famous dolls and celebrate the enduring influence of the Barbie brand over 67 years. It will invite visitors to follow the Barbie legacy that began in 1959, when Ruth Handler wished to craft a different narrative for her daughter, Barbara.
Barbie®: The Exhibition was one of the most visited exhibitions ever staged by the Design Museum after opening in July 2024. Its Australian debut will feature over 250 objects including 150 remarkable and innovative dolls, as well as an especially rare first edition Barbie from 1959, hand-painted and dressed in a black-and-white bathing suit.
Other highlights range from the first Barbie that could ‘move’ to a unique Talking Barbie prototype and best-selling Totally Hair™ Barbie. These appear alongside several momentous and distinctive dolls that explore the changing appearance of Barbie in relation to evolving cultural shifts around diversity and representation.
Barbie®: The Exhibition at Melbourne Museum will take visitors on a journey through time, highlighting the evolution of Barbie ‘the doll’ to Barbie ‘the brand’. Showcasing 250 objects including houses, vehicles, accessories, architecture, fashion and friends, including Ken, Barbie enthusiasts of all ages are sure to delight in this unique experience.
Lynley Crosswell, CEO and Director of Museums Victoria said: ‘Over the last 67 years, Barbie has grown a huge breadth of pop cultural appeal across many demographics. The brands journey through time holds up such a fascinating mirror to changes across design, architecture, and social movements. I have no doubt that visitors will take great delight in this vivid exhibition.’
Minister for Creative Industries Vicki Ward said: ‘Whether you had Olympic gymnast Barbie, Air Force Pilot Barbie - or a Barbie with a cool haircut, she’s helped us invent new worlds. This summer is going to be hot - hot pink - with the fantastic Barbie: The Exhibition on at Melbourne Museum from 28 November. We’re supporting another world-class exhibition right here in our backyard for Victorians to enjoy.’
Tim Marlow, Director and CEO of the Design Museum said: ‘Design has been at the heart of the Barbie story ever since the creation of the first doll 67 years ago and the impact has evolved with each new generation. Before we opened the exhibition at the Design Museum in 2024, 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. I have no doubt that in another world class museum in Melbourne this engagement will continue and we look forward to seeing both the exhibition re-staged and new audiences encountering a re-framed cultural icon.’
Paul Faulkner, SVP & Managing Director Asia Pacific for Mattel, said: ‘Since 1959, Barbie has been 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 the brand has left a mark on culture throughout its remarkable 67-year legacy. We can’t wait for fans and audiences to continue to experience this exhibition in Australia at Melbourne Museum this November.’
Barbie®: The Exhibition is a partnership between the Design Museum and Mattel, Inc. Mattel granted access to the Barbie archives in California and expert brand historians and archivists. Mattel also facilitated several key loans.
Originally designed by Sam Jacob Studio and curated by Danielle Thom, Curator the Design Museum, the exhibition and its layout reflects the evolution of Barbie, charting the brand’s impact on design and culture in all its forms throughout the decades.
The exhibition will open at Melbourne Museum on 28 November 2026; tickets for Barbie®: The Exhibition are on sale at Barbie®: The Exhibition | What's on | Melbourne Museum
For further information visit Melbourne Museum | Museums Victoria
Barbie®: The Exhibition
Open: 28 November 2026
Location: Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson Street Carlton
Tickets: on sale now at Melbourne Museum and online
Adult $30 | Member $25 | Concession $25 | Child $20 | Child Member $18
About Museums Victoria:
With more than 3 million admissions across its sites every year, Museums Victoria remains the most visited museum organisation in Australia and New Zealand. Museums Victoria is home to three museums – Melbourne Museum, Immigration Museum and Scienceworks – as well as IMAX Melbourne and the Museums Victoria Research Institute. Museums Victoria is also custodian of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building. Through transformative experiences, storytelling, collections, exhibitions and learning, Museums Victoria visitors encounter wondrous discovery and trusted knowledge every day.
About the Design Museum:
The Design Museum is a multifaceted museum, an ever-changing space for the public, industry and education to come together and explore new ideas. A registered charity, the museum's innovative exhibitions, partnerships, research and learning programmes evidence how design can enable this planet and its inhabitants to thrive. Our landmark building in Kensington is the centre of our national network and a global hub for the transformative potential of design. www.designmuseum.org
About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global play and family entertainment company and owner of one of the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. We engage consumers and fans through our franchise brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends™, UNO®, Masters of the Universe®, Matchbox®, Monster High®, Polly Pocket®, as well as other popular properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include toys, content, consumer products, digital and live experiences. Our products are sold in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering generations to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. Visit us at mattel.com.
