Spotted! Mattel creates a life-sized Barbie world

The 30,000-square-foot World of Barbie even features a dream house, a laboratory, an airline, and a TV center.

Mattel and live entertainment company Kilburn Live have partnered to bring Barbie’s world to life and allow those who visit it to experience what it may be like to be the doll.

Located in a 30,000 sq. ft. retail space in Mississauga’s Square One shopping centre, “World of Barbie” features attractions including a dream house complete with a patio and ball pit pool, an interior design studio for the creatively inclined, a laboratory for those passionate about science, a fashion runway and a music studio. Meanwhile, Barbie Interstellar Airways is a realistic space shuttle that replicates how the doll would fly.

A TV Centre allows visitors to interview guests, deliver the weather report, and broadcast breaking news on the set of The Barbie Show. Finally, Barbie Dreambuilder offers guests the opportunity to build their own doll sets exactly how they prefer for a price of $65.

“World of Barbie is an exciting immersion into the lifestyle of Barbie, where guests can step into her world, and discover and revel in installations that are meticulously curated to cultivate dreams,” says Julie Freeland, senior director of location-based entertainment for Mattel. “Fans of all ages can imagine endless possibilities for themselves, while walking in her footsteps as a scientist, designer, news anchor, astronaut and much more.”

A press release for the event says the experience is meant to empower people “to believe they can do anything and be anything,” a key part of the Barbie brand since it was first founded in 1959. Since then, the doll has had over 250 careers.

World of Barbie went live on Friday and will be running until September 30. After its Toronto debut, it will tour to New York, Chicago and Dallas.