Barbie Exhibition to Launch  in Las Vegas

Illusion Projects and Mattel have announced Barbie: A Cultural Icon, the first Barbie doll exhibition to tour in the U.S,. inside The Shops at Crystals in Las Vegas. 

“So much of the entertainment and fashion culture of Las Vegas is mirrored in the generations of Barbie,” says Pete Housley, exhibition executive director, Barbie: A Cultural Icon. “The Barbie Exhibition is perfectly positioned in the middle of The Shops at Crystals alongside many of the world-famous fashion brands that Barbie has worn through the decades.”   

Opening in October, the exhibition will honor more than 60 years of Barbie, including the first Barbie doll produced in 1959 and leading guests through the decades, paying homage to Barbie and the world around her. The exhibition will also feature more than 150 vintage dolls, artifacts and life-size fashion pieces in custom-themed displays, and video media and interviews with Barbie designers. Additional tour dates to come.  

“We are excited to partner with Illusion Projects to bring Barbie: A Cultural Icon to Las Vegas,” says Julie Freeland, senior director, location-based entertainment, Mattel. “Barbie is a brand that has evolved through generations, and we can’t wait for fans of all ages to take a journey through time with us!”  

“Barbie has an amazing and inspiring history,” says Tim Clothier, chief executive officer, Illusion Projects. “There is a real sense of nostalgia when you see what was happening in the world, and in Barbie’s world, when you were a kid – and then follow the story to how she’s impacting our world today.”