This weekend, families around the world will gather and exchange presents. Many children will receive dolls, and one doll in particular is not just popular this year, but has been for the last several decades: Barbie!
Barbie dolls were introduced in 1959. At the time, baby dolls were more common, but toy inventor Ruth Handler noticed that her daughter, Barbara, preferred to play with paper dolls and give them adult roles. Seeing a gap in the market, she developed the Barbie doll after a popular German doll called a “Lilli Doll.” Barbie was an instant success, exceeding Mattel’s production capacity for the first three years. She remains popular through today, after countless outfits, the Dreamhouse, and many movies.
You can see these 1964 Barbie dolls on display at the Salem Museum.
Visit the Salem Museum for Hands-On History week from Dec. 19-22 to see “Toys for Christmas,” pull on a glove, and play with historic toys!
The Salem Museum has Free Admission and is located at 801 East Main Street. We are closed for the holidays Dec. 23-26 and Dec. 30-Jan. 2, but otherwise open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.
