RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — It's a Barbie world at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. "Barbie: A Cultural Icon" experience painted the VMHC pink Thursday ahead of the official exhibition opening this weekend. The experience features over 250 vintage dolls and immersive displays, including a h ot pink Corvette and a life-sized Barbie dreamhouse, celebrating over 65 years since Barbie's creation in the 1950s. Visitors will see style trends over the years through original fashion designs and exclusive designer interviews, as well as careers and identities Barbie has embodied since her debut more than six decades ago. Barbie's inventor, Ruth Handler, created the doll in 1959 after noticing that most of her daughter Barbara's toys were baby dolls, toddler dolls or kitchen sets, and that the role models she had were mothers or caretakers, said Elizabeth Klaczynski, VMHC associate curator of exhibitions. "[Handler] really wanted to invent a doll that allowed little girls to see themselves as adults and to have options as they got older," she said. "Having a woman leader in business was pretty amazing at the time." (Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News) VMHC to host ‘Barbie: A Cultural Icon’ with 250+ vintage dolls, exclusive experiences Handler also founded Mattel with her husband and another collaborator. Ever since, Barbie has become a pop culture icon in America and worldwide and has had over 250 careers. She was president seven times, Klaczynski said. The exhibit also features a Virginia-specific section with six dolls representing famous Virginians and iconic historical figures and moments. This includes Barbie dolls as civil rights advocate and vocalist Ella Fitzgerald and University of Virginia and Virginia Tech cheerleaders. (Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News)(Paul Nevadomski/8News) "It's a really fun exhibit, but there's also history there, so there is a lot of substance," Klaczynski said. "People can come and learn about the evolution of Barbie over the decades... different roles, different careers, and then increased emphasis on diversity and inclusion as the decades have gone on." Visitors will also have the chance to see behind-the-scenes content, historical artifacts and advertising memorabilia. The exhibit will welcome guests from Oct. 17, 2026 to Jan. 18, 2027, at the VMHC. ...read more read less