Barbie conquers the careers: Large exhibition in Strünkede Castle!

Barbie conquers the careers: Large exhibition in Strünkede Castle!

In the Strünkede Castle in Herne, a free estimate of dolls and soft toys will take place on Thursday, March 13, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The red hall of the castle becomes the focus for lovers of Barbie, teddy bears and Steiff pieces. According to the press office of the city of Herne, Bettina Dorfmann, who with her collection of 18,500 Barbie dolls has the largest collection worldwide, will lead the event. This unique possibility comes about during the special exhibition "Busy Girl - Barbie makes a career", which will still be seen until May 18, 2025.

The exhibition addresses the development of the professional and living environment of women since the 1960s. It shows barbies clothing, living and working rooms as well as accessories and illuminates the change of job profiles and the changing understanding of roles of women over time. The curators Bettina Dorfmann and Karin Schrey have set themselves the task of not only presenting the valuable pieces, but also presenting the context of social changes. However, the estimate may be limited due to the expected rush, so that not every piece can be examined.

cultural context and picture gallery

The development of Barbie, which has passed through numerous changes in the past 56 years, is not only reflected in their appearance, but also in the way in which the place of woman in society embodies. A tumblr blog called Tenflyviper documents this transformation with an extensive picture gallery. Barbies hairstyles and outfits have developed over the years from classic and elegant too modern and diversified. Their appearance includes trendy short haircuts as well as stylistic missteps, such as excessive eyeliner and tan.

This variety of looks and topics that outlined the exhibition and the estimate shows how Barbie has become a symbol of social change and empowerment over the years. Visitors are invited to not only bring their dolls to estimate, but also to perceive the creative influences of this figure on culture.