An exhibit that highlighted the milestones in the Barbie timeline featured 1985’s “We can do anything” campaign, with the goal of empowering young girls.

(Jessica Castro/Special to SFGATE)
(Jessica Castro/Special to SFGATE)

It didn’t surprise me that the commercial spotlighted only the original skinny, white, blonde Barbie.

How Barbie shaped me

While my mom and I marveled over the timeline of the different Barbie dream houses, she pointed to the one that she owned as a kid in the 1970s. I looked at the different versions but didn’t see any I recognized. I told her I didn’t remember having any of these.

“You never were really into Barbie dolls,” she reminded me.

Whether you loved or hated them, it’s safe to say if you were raised as a little girl, you have some attachment to Barbie dolls. The brand evokes strong feelings from someone’s inner child, whether you’re fond of the memories or have attached feelings about race, ethnicity, body image or ability.

I remember thinking I was a little too cool to play with Barbie dolls, but as a Black girl, part of it was that they just didn’t look like me. I remember seeing Black Barbie dolls, but they felt like an afterthought. Still, there’s something nostalgic about the brand’s signature pink and purple colors, Barbie’s blonde hair, and how the doll stands on tiptoes to fit into high heels.

I was fonder of the Bratz dolls, because I saw myself in them. The clothes were a little more stylish, with miniskirts and plush fur coats. The exaggerated eyes and lips felt more like mine. There were four dolls of different races with different interests, like music or fashion, and diverse storylines — none more important than the rest — which made them seem more reflective of the people I saw around me in my community. 

Barbie’s evolution

The first Barbie doll was launched in 1959, and in 1968, a Black doll named Talking Christie joined Barbie’s friend group. But it wasn’t until 1980 that there was actually a Black doll named “Barbie,” created by clothing designer Kitty Black Perkins. The Black Barbie wore her natural hair in an Afro and rocked a red bodysuit and disco skirt paired with a large necklace and big earrings. The same year, the company released its first Hispanic Barbie doll. 

In the new documentary “Black Barbie” by Lagueria Davis, a scene suggests how Barbie’s efforts to diversify its dolls had mixed reviews. The documentary shows a focus group of children who were asked to pick their favorite Barbie doll and tell the interviewer why. Some might select a doll with hair or an outfit they liked, while others chose a doll that looked like them. But when asked who Barbie is, the kids pointed to the same Barbie we all know. 

The iconic blonde bombshell has come a long way, but if you ask someone who Barbie is, they will likely point to a skinny, blonde, white doll.

Within the past decade, Mattel (Barbie’s parent company) has come to terms with changing times. In 2022, the company released its most inclusive line yet, with many of them on display inside the museum. The website says the line features “35 skin tones, 97 hair styles, 9 body types and counting.” Some of the dolls spotlight disabilities by having a hearing aid, wheelchair or prosthetic leg.

Deep in the World of Barbie

The World of Barbie pop-up is in beachy Santa Monica Place, a shopping mall across the street from the Santa Monica Pier. For now, the mall converted one of its empty stores into a pink paradise, where kids can interact with one of America’s most established toys, adults can get in touch with their inner child, and parents can pay $55 for a customized Barbie to take home.

Kids and parents in Barbie-branded matching pink outfits and young influencers were ready to snap the perfect Instagram photo, but my mom was most excited to see the museum upstairs.

The life-size, interactive exhibits showcasing Barbie’s different careers felt like the “We can do anything” campaign come to life. There was a chemistry lab, a talk-show host couch with a signature mug, a teleprompter station for a newscaster, a music studio, and even a life-size Barbie spaceship.

Another exhibit was dedicated to the Barbie Role Model series. In 2015, the brand began releasing dolls inspired by “sheroes” after surveying 8,000 moms globally and finding that 81% of respondents worried about the type of role models their daughters were exposed to.

Rosa Parks Barbie doll; Frida Kahlo Barbie doll. (Jessica Castro/Special to SFGATE)
Rosa Parks Barbie doll; Frida Kahlo Barbie doll. (Jessica Castro/Special to SFGATE)

The exhibit spotlighted about a dozen dolls, from past figures like artist Frida Kahlo and human rights activist Rosa Parks to more present-day heroes like Naomi Osaka, one of the best tennis players in the world.

Building a Barbie that looks like me

One of the most heartwarming parts of the experience for me was the build-a-Barbie-doll station. There were many options with different skin shades, hairstyles and body types. We chose a Black Barbie with her hair tied up in a silk scarf — a style I’ve seen my mom rock often — and picked up daisy-printed clothes, a pink purse, yellow sunglasses and three pairs of shoes.

Amid the chaos, with children trying to find the perfect outfits for their new dolls, I thought about how I might have been more inclined to play with Barbie dolls if I had owned a doll like the one my mother and I picked out. Representation, especially from a young age, matters.

Barbie’s customizable dolls let you pick one off the shelf and find the perfect outfits to go with her. (Jessica Castro/Special to SFGATE)
Barbie’s customizable dolls let you pick one off the shelf and find the perfect outfits to go with her. (Jessica Castro/Special to SFGATE)

After we finished our walk-through, my mom and I headed back to our parking spot, and I held the doll we had created as we drove to get something to eat. In the end, the exhibit did more than help me get in touch with my inner child — it helped me heal her.

World of Barbie, 395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica. Open Wednesday and Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Friday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m.