September 22, 2025
JAKARTA – Anyone who grew up with Barbie remembers the magic of dressing the dolls, rearranging the Dreamhouse furniture and imagining stepping into her world. That childhood fantasy has now come to life with the opening of the World of Barbie exhibition in Jakarta.
After successful United States runs in California and Texas, Indonesia marks the exhibition’s very first stop in Asia.
“We’re proud that Indonesia is the first country in Asia to host an event of this scale for a brand as iconic as Barbie,” said Faqih Mulyawan, CEO of GOLDLive Indonesia, on Sept 9, during an opening day interview.
Organized by GOLDLive Indonesia in collaboration with GandemPro and Mattel Inc., the exhibition is being held at Agora Mall in Central Jakarta.
Essential milestones
Spanning 232 square meters on the mall’s L2 level, the exhibition is staged like a film set, with ten themed rooms bringing Barbie’s story to life. At its center, a life-sized camper van seems to invite visitors on an adventure. The entire space is awash in Barbie Pink, casting a playful glow, while an upbeat soundtrack reverberates through the halls.
The first stop, the Museum of Barbie, traces the history of the world’s most famous doll. At the entrance stands the original 1959 Barbie, dressed in her black-and-white striped swimsuit, displayed beneath a portrait of her creator, Ruth Handler.
“This is the very first Barbie doll, which is more than 60 years old now,” Faqih said.
Handler, an American entrepreneur and cofounder of Mattel, noticed her daughter Barbara preferred playing with adult paper dolls over baby dolls. Convinced that girls wanted toys that let them imagine future selves, she designed a fashion doll with grown-up features and limitless career possibilities. Named after her daughter Barbara, Barbie debuted at the American International Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959.
The Museum of Barbie also features floor-to-ceiling vitrines of her iconic Dreamhouses. The first, launched in 1962, was modest by design. Made of cardboard, it folded open like a book to reveal a compact studio apartment complete with a bed, open closet, bookcase, chair and television, symbols of independence at a time when many women were still expected to remain at home until marriage.
A life-sized replica of this 1962 apartment is also on display, quickly becoming a favorite spot for children to explore on the opening day.
The museum also highlights Barbie’s dazzling cars, including a turquoise 1957 Chevy Corvette (1989) and the iconic pink Porsche 911 (1992).
At the far end, a glass case displays Barbie dolls in diverse body types, ethnicities and professions.
“Barbie has always championed diversity, not only in professions, but also in race and many other aspects,” Faqih said.
A visitor takes the wheel of Barbie’s life-sized camper van on Sept. 9, while a staff member captures the moment during the Jakarta tour. As part of the exhibition’s central display, the camper van invites guests to imagine hitting the road on a Barbie-style journey. PHOTO: THE JAKARTA POST
Visiting the dream house
In the next room, visitors step inside Barbie’s Dreamhouse, a childhood fantasy made real.
“This is probably the most iconic part of the exhibition,” Faqih said. “We usually play with the toy-sized Dreamhouse, and now we can finally enter the life-sized one.”
Its candy-colored interiors feel playful and inviting, with a sitting room furnished with baby-pink sofas, a study, a spotless pantry and Barbie’s walk-in closet.
On opening day, influencers paused at nearly every corner to pose for photos and record videos.
Outside, the patio offers sun-loungers, while a waterslide leads straight into the pool. Open to both kids and adults, the dry pool is brimming with translucent white balls, creating the illusion of bubbles.
Tiwi, a visitor from Tangerang, looked delighted in the ball pool.
“I played with Barbie a lot as a kid,” she said. “Now, as an adult, I feel my inner child is fulfilled. I can finally step into Barbie’s world, explore her house and pool. It makes me so happy.”
At one corner, the mood shifts to shades of blue, as if stepping onto a coastline. A lifeguard tower rises among palm trees, while video mapping turns the floor into white sand lapped by waves and filled with seagull cries. Each step leaves behind footprints on the projection, completing the illusion of a seaside walk.
Guests can climb the tower to pose as lifeguards, a nod to the 1971 Sun Set Malibu Barbie.
The next room, the Music Production Studio, invites children and adults to try different roles in music. Three booths allow visitors to sing, drum or play guitar, while a DJ deck outside lets anyone experiment with mixing tracks.
For those unfamiliar with the equipment, staff members are on hand to guide participants and even help take photos as they explore the activities.
In the TV Center, guests can step into the spotlight as news anchors, reading headlines from a teleprompter or presenting the weather in front of a map of Indonesia. At the heart of the set, armchairs and a rolling camera invite visitors to host their own episode of The Barbie Show.
Career world
Barbie has also embraced more serious roles over her long and varied career. In 2015, Mattel introduced STEM Scientist Barbie, complete with lab coat and goggles. At the exhibition, visitors can step into her laboratory, where they mix colors to design new looks for the doll’s outfits and hairstyles. A periodic table of elements is also displayed on the wall.
“The main purpose is not only to create an interactive, immersive exhibition but also an educational one,” Faqih said. “The most important goal is that children who come here find inspiration, that Barbie’s many professions can spark ideas for their future.”
Barbie’s career path even extends beyond Earth. In 1965, she became Miss Astronaut Barbie, four years before humans landed on the moon. In Jakarta, visitors can board her spacecraft, Barbie Interstellar Airways, steering through galaxies by tilting the controls or posing in bubblegum-pink seats among the stars.
To complete the experience, the Career Center offers four Magic Mirrors that transform visitors into the profession of their choice. A photo is captured on the spot and sent directly to their email or via QR code, a playful keepsake of their imagined career.
After exploring Barbie’s many professions, visitors can unwind in a cozy 16-seat theater. With a complimentary box of popcorn in hand, they can sit back and enjoy You Can Be Anything, a Barbie cartoon film.
The exhibition runs until Oct. 26, with tickets ranging from Rp 225,000 (US$) to Rp 450,000.
After the Jakarta stop, the World of Barbie will continue its tour across five other Southeast Asian countries.