“Barbie: The Exhibition”, running at the Design Museum from until Feb 23, features more than 250 items from the Barbie universe, including an array of dolls showing her changing appearance, design sketches and dream houses.

On display is a first edition of the first Barbie released in 1959 with blonde hair, angled eyes, dressed in a black-and-white swimsuit, along with later models representing different races, hair textures and shapes.

Other “firsts” include a Black Barbie and one in a wheelchair. One section dedicated to career roles includes a police officer, scientist, doctor, presidents and a voter, while another focuses on Barbie’s long-term companion Ken, who was introduced in 1961.

“I hope that, whatever your reason for coming to this show, whether you’re a Barbie fanatic or sceptic, you leave with an appreciation of detailed research and the rigorous design thinking that goes into the making of Barbie,” curator Danielle Thom said.

“I also hope people come away having learnt something about how this brand has come into being and managed to dominate the toy market for such a long time.”

The exhibition coincides with Barbie’s 65th birthday this year and follows on the huge success of last year’s “Barbie” movie starring Margot Robbie, which grossed US$1.4 billion at the global box office.