At first glance, they appear to be like all of the other Barbie "Space Discovery" dolls found on toy store shelves — and that very well may be the point.
The National Air and Space Museum on Tuesday (July 18) debuted on display the first-ever Barbie dolls to actually fly into space. The two fashion figures spent several months on board the International Space Station (ISS) in 2022 as part of "Mission DreamStar," a joint outreach project by Mattel and the ISS U.S. National Laboratory. The dolls were then donated by the toy company to the Smithsonian.
Like the purpose of their launch, the Barbies' new exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, is intended to "encourage kids to consider a career in STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] and celebrate the excitement of space," said Lisa McKnight, executive vice president and global head of Barbie and dolls at Mattel, while the dolls were still in space.
Related: Barbie and Space Exploration: Iconic Doll's Astronaut Looks (Photos)
