One is a fashion plate, the other is best known for what she put on her plate.
Barbie is arguably the world’s most famous doll. Julia is one of the world’s most famous chefs, responsible for introducing French cooking to America. She’d be glad to see that Chef Barbie, one of the earliest outfits for the first Barbie doll, is wearing an apron and holding a large cooking spoon.
“We were laughing about Barbie and Julia sharing this space,” said Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of the Cincinnati Museum Center at the press opening of “Barbie: A Cultural Icon” on April 3. “We can just imagine Julia trying to fatten up Barbie and saying, ‘Here, Barbie, have some more butter!’ ”
And Barbie might be encouraging Julia to layer some couture fashions beneath her apron.
More about Barbie
The Barbie exhibit is open through September 1 and requires a special ticket. “Julia Child: A Recipe for Life,” opened in February and will close May 18. It’s included with regular museum admission.
Pierce said many of those who come to the exhibit will find one of the dolls they played with as a child, a parent or grandparent. “The Barbie show isn’t just about a toy that became a phenomenon but about history, nostalgia, pop culture and possibilities,” she said. “It’s an exhibition that is both a lens and a mirror, it is a fascinating history of Barbie at once being confined by society but also blazing a trail for young girls and women to follow.”
As an example, she cited Miss Astronaut Barbie. “Four years before our dear Neal Armstrong set foot on the moon, Barbie took a giant leap to show young girls that they too, could reach for the stars.”
The Barbie exhibit features more than 250 Barbie dolls including the first Barbie who entered the world at the New York Toy Fair in 1959 wearing a black and white striped swimsuit and her signature ponytail. There are also 24 ensembles made for that debut, many inspired by haute couture. Each was developed by one designer with the approval of Ruth and Elliot Handler, Barbie’s real life parents and the founders of Mattel.
Ruth came up with the doll concept after watching her daughter, Barbara, play with paper dolls. She decided to create a three-dimensional doll and modeled Barbie on a doll in a Swiss doll shop. In 1961, Ken entered the scene. He was named for the Handler’s son, Kenneth.
The life of Barbie
The Cincinnati exhibit focuses on Barbie’s development over the years--both the changes that took place through 66 years of fashion and Barbie’s increasing numbers of careers, now numbering more than 200. According to Mattel, today Barbie is the most diverse and inclusive doll line in the world with 35 skin tones, 94 hairstyles and nine body types.
The exhibition includes the original Barbie DreamHouse, behind-the-scenes prototypes and some of the most famous Barbie dolls throughout history. Vintage televisions play old-time Barbie commercials. Video and media interviews with Barbie designers reveal how they come up with new doll designs and how the fashions are created. There are 500 tiny shoes.
You can step inside the full-size pink Corvette and have your photo taken. You can also get inside giant Barbie and Ken boxes.
“I have a bunch of Barbies,” said Lyric Goodwin of Cincinnati who climbed into the Barbie car for a photo. “My favorite thing to do is change their clothes and hair. My favorite Barbie is Gymnastic Barbie because I can make her do cartwheels and I take gymnastics.”
No surprise: the gift shop filled with Barbie dolls and accessories.
“As you journey through the past 66 years with Barbie and her friends, I hope you remember the importance of strong role models --even if they were just eleven and a half inches tall--and that even a cultural icon like Barbie made some regrettable fashion choices in the 80’s,” said Pierce.
Get to know Julia
Julia made some faux pas as well.
“Julia reveled in cooking’s joy, not in its perfection,” said Pierce. “Because Julia broke a few eggs, we see a generation of amateur chefs trying, sometimes failing, often succeeding, but always enjoying the community of cooking. We’re excited to share Julia’s joy and her recipe for life.”
This exploration of Julia Child’s life highlights inspiring moments of her life as well as the family and friends who supported her career. The exhibit explores Julia’s life beyond her fame as an author and television personality.
You’ll learn about her love affair with France, her favorite spots in Paris and her return to America.
You can don an apron and step into the kitchen set of “The French Chef,” Julia’s popular TV cooking show with an operable video camera. A wall of vintage televisions showcases television shows, commercials, and news clips from the era when the TV show premiered.
One gallery wall is a giant copy of her book, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” with pages continually turning.
Many of the personal family photos were taken by Paul Child, Julia’s husband. Personal papers and a wall of her favorite kitchen tools are featured and you can even climb into the bathtub to recreate Julia’s and Paul’s famous Valentine’s Day card.
You’ll see videos of Julia’s television show “The French Chef” and hear her familiar sign off, “Bon Appétit,” in her distinctive cheery voice. A wall of touching fan letters reflects the ways in which Julia inspired others.
An interactive dining table and plates offer various gourmet dishes. It’s your job to pick the correct accompaniments to each dish.
Cincinnati eats
The museum has added a gallery focusing on Cincinnati’s most famous restaurants. Featured are dining sets, menus and five-star medals from the Maisonette, a chef’s jacket from Jean-Robert’s Table and information about the city’s influence on the “Joy of Cooking,” one of the nation’s most-sold cookbooks. The gallery also highlights the training and workforce development opportunities that make the city a hub for culinary talent.
HOW TO GO
What: “Barbie: A Cultural Icon” and “Julia Child: A Recipe for Life”
Where: Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday. The Barbie exhibit is open through Sept. 1. The Julia exhibit is open through May 18
Tickets: General Museum admission includes admission to the Julia Child exhibit and to Children’s Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science and Cincinnati History Museum. Adults $19.50; children and seniors $12.50.
Timed tickets to Barbie are $19.50 for adults, $15.50 for children ages 3-12 and $17.50 for seniors. Dream packages are available that include Barbie sunglasses and a Malibu keychain.
Julia Child a la Mode packages are available and include an exhibit ticket and the “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” cookbook.
More online: cincymuseum.org
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