Barbie Expo
1455 Rue Peel level 3, Montréal, Canada
Montreal’s Barbie Expo is the world’s largest permanent exhibition of Barbie dolls. It displays more than 1,000 famous figurines, from historical Barbies to J.Lo and Beyonce versions. Inside an upscale shopping mall, the exhibit keeps “Barbie fever” alive, and it dresses her to the nines. Designers on display include Armani, Vera Wang, Christian Louboutin, Christian Dior, and more.
The basics
The Barbie Expo began in 2016, well before the fervor of the Hollywood film. It’s right in downtown Montreal, in Les Cours Mont-Royal, the city’s most prestigious and upscale shopping center—quite the fit for the world’s most fashionable figure. Inside the third-floor exhibition, you’ll see around a thousand dolls from various eras and learn about the history of this female phenomenon. Expect to catch classic Barbies from private collectors and unique, one-of-a-kind Barbies custom-made for the expo.
Things to know before you go
The Barbie Expo is always free to visit.
The shopping center has elevators to the 3rd floor, and the Barbie Expo is wheelchair-accessible.
If you can’t make it to the expo in person, you can take a virtual tour of the exhibition on the official website.
How to get there
The Barbie Expo is on the 3rd floor of Les Cours Mont-Royal, a shopping center right in downtown Montreal. If you’re taking the metro, get off at McGill station—it’s just a few blocks walk from there. Otherwise, taxis and rideshares are available, and the shopping center offers underground parking facilities; rates vary.
When to get there
The Barbie Expo is typically open every day of the week, though hours vary (and are more limited on weekends). There’s no bad time to get here, though the crowds are smallest in the morning and later in the evening. If anything, just slot it in when it fits into your downtown Montreal adventures.
Highlights of the Barbie Expo
Beyond Barbie designs by Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, Bill Blass, Christian Louboutin, Zac Posen, Carolina Herrera, and Bob Mackie, visitors to the Barbie Expo will catch some familiar faces. You can see custom-made Barbie dolls that you won’t see anywhere else, including Kate Middleton, Marie Antoinette, and Coco Chanel.
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