The original Mattel Barbie stands tip-toed in an enclosed display on the lower-level of the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center: black and white chevron swimsuit, heavy-lidded eyes and a smile that communications director Lucie Amundsen compared to the Mona Lisa’s.

She is among the 65 years of Barbie history on display as part of the “Barbie: A Cultural Icon” exhibition that runs through September 22nd.

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The show, which requires entry beneath a pink arch and through pink doors, includes 300 pieces ranging from rows of high-fashion, high-ambition dolls to Barbie-centric photo opportunities. Stand crook-armed in a life-sized Barbie or Ken box. Grab a pal and get behind the wheel of Barbie’s pink Corvette. Sit in a Barbie birdcage chair. Stand next to a Barbie surfboard.

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