Put on Your Heels and Step Inside Barbie's Life-Sized Dreamhouse Now Open in Santa Monica

It’s not Malibu, but it’ll do. After welcoming more than 100,000 guests at its Toronto location, World of Barbie made its U.S. debut Friday in Santa Monica.

The 20,000 square-foot attraction allows fans to step inside Barbie’s life-sized Dreamhouse, try on one of Barbie’s careers for size and even get in the driver’s seat of a Barbie Camper Van designed by West Coast Customs.

The immersive activation — which is now open at Santa Monica Place — was imagined by live entertainment company Kilburn Live, Mattel, Inc. and global sports, fashion and events giant IMG.

“From day one this was much more than your typical experience,” Mark Manuel, CEO of Kilburn Live, said in a news release. “This is a world, a world built specifically for Barbie fans so they can experience what it is like to walk into a life-sized Barbie playset.”

Interactive installations range from visiting Barbie’s Dreamhouse and checking out her iconic outfits in her walk-in closet to boarding a Barbie space shuttle where you can interact with mission control and “travel” to several interstellar destinations.

The production also features a museum exhibit where guests can see how Barbie, her Dreamhouse and her various vehicles have evolved over the years. You can even see the Barbie doll that started it all, clad in a black and white striped swimsuit and her iconic ponytail. The doll officially debuted on March 9, 1959.

A series of after-hours and special events will also roll out at the SoCal location:

• Pink Carpet Night – Get dolled up in your best “Barbiecore” outfit, walk past the pink carpet and take part in various Barbie photo ops. Once inside World of Barbie, you can expect live music, a snack bar and more.
• Movie Days – The Barbie movie theater will feature animated Barbie movies every Sunday (popcorn available).
• Sips After Sunset – Guests 21+ can enjoy World of Barbie with DJ-driven music and cocktails. This will be a recurring event hosted by special guest influencers.

Tickets for adults start at $34.50 and $25.50 for children. Tickets are available for purchase here.

Source: NBC Los Angeles