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This Barbie doll is dressed in the Miss Astronaut silver spacesuit created by Mattel in 1965.
Invented by Mattel Toys co-founder Ruth Handler in 1958, Barbie dolls were conceived as a toy that would allow children to play with a doll of an young woman, not a baby or child/companion. As such, Barbie dolls allowed their owners to imagine the life of a young woman with a career. In the history of this popular toy, the Barbie doll has taken on several aviation- and space-themed jobs, including several versions of Barbie as a stewardess, astronaut, and pilot. Ironically, Barbie's role as "Miss Astronaut" with her Project Mercury-style silver spacesuit came years before women became a part of NASA's astronaut corps in 1978.
This doll and costume was donated to the Museum by Mattel in 1995.
Date
ca. 1964
Country of Origin
Japan
Type
MEMORABILIA-Popular Culture
Manufacturer
Mattel, Inc. Dimensions
3-D: 7 x 3.8 x 29.2cm (2 3/4 x 1 1/2 x 11 1/2 in.) Materials
Plastic, synthetic hair, polyester, vinyl, paper, brass Inventory Number
A20070121000
Credit Line
Gift of Mattel, Inc.
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
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For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.
