All About Barbie

Inspired by a German doll, Ruth Handler invented a teenage fashion doll and named it after her daughter, Barbara. The first Barbie doll made her debut at the 1959 American Toy Fair in New York City. Little did anyone know that Barbie would become a cultural phenomenon that crossed racial and national lines. She has weathered controversies and skepticism, but Barbie in all her incarnations is still one of the most popular toys in the world.

• Barbie.com: The online headquarters for all things Barbie, including games and activities.

• Barbie Collector: The official Mattel site for the serious Barbie collector.

• Barbie Coloring Pages: Color her outfit and apply her makeup.

• Dolls 4 Play: The history of Barbie and her friends.

• Inventing Barbie: The story of Barbie through the decades.

• Tree Top Barbie: Designed as a conservation ambassador, this Barbie helps educate about canopy ecosystems.

• Ethnic Barbies: As a truly international doll, Barbie has been issued as many different ethnicities and races.

• 2010 Barbie Doll Convention: Information about the 2010 National Barbie Doll Convention in Ohio.

• Barbie and Her Clothes: A detailed history of Barbie in all her forms.

• Sew Clothes for Barbie: Patterns for vintage Barbie clothes.

• Crazy for Barbie: Tips on collecting Barbie Dolls.

• Windy City Barbie Collectors: A club for Barbie fans in the Chicago area.

• Happy Birthday, Barbie!: A Smithsonian tribute to Barbie on her 50^th birthday.

• I, Doll: Subtitled as “The Unauthorized Biography of America’s 11 ½ Inch Sweetheart” this is information about the documentary that explores the Barbie phenomenon.

• Celebrity Barbie Dolls: Collectible Barbie Dolls in celebrity images.

• My Barbie Movies: The complete list of Barbie movies.

• Weirdest Barbie Dolls: Some Barbie Dolls just aren’t a good idea.

• The Coolest, Strangest Barbies in the World: Some Barbies you may have never seen and some you might have forgotten.

• Barbie in India: Barbies in different outfits for different occasions.

• Barbie Restoration: Learn about restoring Barbies and identifying them.

• Barbie Media: The latest news on all things Barbie.

• The Barbie Liberation Organization: Take a look back to 1993 when Barbie was attacked!

• Biggest Barbie Fan: One German fan sets the Barbie record with 6,000 in her collection.

• Live the Life of Barbie!: A day as Barbie can be yours at the House of Barbie in Shanghai, China.

• Barbie's Career History: Barbie’s a hardworking doll and these are a few of her major career moves.

• Barbie Controversies: Some of the infamous moments in Barbie history.

• Give Your Barbie a Makeover: Artist Noel Cruz repaints Barbie dolls to make them look more realistic.

• The Most Expensive Barbie in the World: This Barbie is valued at about $94,800, but it isn’t for sale.

• Customized Barbie: Barbie can take lots of different forms.

• Keeping Ken: A site dedicated to Barbie’s beau, Ken.