TELUS Spark Science Centre embraces Barbie fever with new exhibit

As the Barbie movie continues to dominate the box office, a new exhibition celebrating the iconic doll has opened at the TELUS Spark Science Centre in Calgary.

As the Barbie movie continues to dominate the box office, a new exhibition celebrating the iconic doll has opened at the TELUS Spark Science Centre in Calgary.

Barbie: A Cultural Icon looks back on the evolution of Barbie from 1959 to now, showcasing how pop culture and fashion trends have shaped the global phenomenon.

“Everybody can connect and relate to some kind of piece of Barbie,” said Megan Tackabery, manager of creative experiences at TELUS Spark.

With 300 artifacts and more than 260 dolls, the exhibit takes people behind the scenes to see how Barbie is made, highlights the many careers Barbie has had, and the strides made to be more diverse and inclusive.

“You will see a wide variety of inclusivity throughout the Barbie evolution, from accessible Barbie, to plus-sized Barbie, to Barbie with Down syndrome,” said Tackaberry.

Corinne Mason, a women’s and gender studies professor at Mount Royal University, says the six decades of Barbie document major moments in history.

“So many of our cultural conversations about social inequities, about gender, about beauty, about racial justice, we can really point to where Barbie is and has been in terms of her transformation, and really map some of the kind of cultural shifts that are happening in the real world,” Mason said.