In what could be another very popular site with Berlin sightseers the world's second BarbieDreamHouse has opened in a previously grey dour section of former East Berlin - right near Alexanderplatz.

But the opening was marred by protests from feminists who decry the stereotype of women's role in German society exemplified in the Barbie exhibits - Germany has the least integration of women in white collar and government jobs of any EU country, NPR said yesterday.

Anyway sounds like this could be a fun place - especially for kids - the Berlin venture follows on the heels of a similar BarbieDreamHouse having been opened in South Florida. But in Germany Barbie is really coming home as the doll, according to NPR yesterday, was born in Germany when the Mattel Company modeled a doll of a popular German comics character..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22558907

http://news.yahoo.com/topless-protes...195100691.html

Official site - www.barbiedreamhouse.com

Hi, we will be in Berlin with our 4 yr old when this is on. I heard about it last week. I have been having a hard time deciding whether or not to take her. She is not really a big Barbie aficionado. For political reasons I am hesitant, but I am torn because it's a one-off opportunity and I doubt she or I will ever see anything like this again. However, if we just follow the list of playgrounds and kid-friendly attractions it possibly won't allow much time to see Barbie anyway. Thanks for posting PalenQ!


Lavandula

Lavandula - please report back after seeing it!

Will do!

Lavandula

I'm sure this one will be far superior to the one in the movie Rat Race.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJMPom6-xmA

"The Barbie Museum... Klaus Barbie...The husband, the devoted father, the wine connoisseur and three time ballroom dancing champion."

BTW, Germany may have, "the least integration of women in white collar and government jobs of any EU country," but they are way ahead of the USA with Angela Merkel as Chancellor.

We've not even had a woman for Vice President.

Hi, we just got back from Germany. We did visit the Barbie house, which is between Alexanderplatz and Jannowitzbrücke U-Bahn stations. Mixed reactions from us. Barbie is not an important member of the household for my daughter (yet), but she loved it. (She's 4, by the way). We didn't love it so much. To start with, it cost us E19 each to get in, so we had high expectations of what lay beyond, as this is very expensive as amusements go. Our daughter got in free. My main criticism of the attraction is that there is really not that much there. There are a lot of displays of dolls in costume, and if that's your thing you would be satisfied, but this aspect doesn't present much interaction, and didn't hold much interest for our daughter.

Everything is steered by a wristwatch-type bracelet that emits a signal determining your language and the name of the child. When you get close to a display you have to pass your wrist by a scanner which then sets up the game with your data. There are several computer games, and lots of places to sit down while you are waiting. Each room in the house is accessed by a room simulating a lift which takes you to the different 'floors' (actually, the whole thing is on the same level). Some of the displays were not working when we were there - it was clear one area was set up for fashion parades, about which there was no information. There were also areas for makeup and nail painting. There was also a Barbie film in German (my daughter is not language-sensitive and will watch anything). There was a bit of drawing and craft in one room.

Mostly it occupied our daughter and I don't think it caused her any long-term emotional scarring (!). However, you will forgive me if I critique it in the same way as the leftist protests - there is not much in the displays to suggest Barbie does anything for a living other than preen herself. We bought a book (in German) and tiny teaset, and the book was all about Barbie pretending to be a pastry chef. While this is a perfectly valid career choice, it is pretty much the only one she has in the whole exhibition, which surprises me a little, and is a little depressing. Feminism hasn't reached the Barbie world, and if this is any indication, probably never will.

The Barbie house will be open until October now. Would I recommend it to you? Your daughter may enjoy it, you possibly won't feel you got value for money, and there is the obligatory shop at the end to guarantee you spend with them. Special Barbie dolls cost E24,95 at the shop. Visit Legoland in the Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz instead.

Lavandula