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Oklahoma City — A traveling exhibit aiming to turn childhood play into long-term ambition has opened at Science Museum Oklahoma this week. Barbie You Can Be Anything: The Experience brings interactive role-play and real-life stories of barrier-breaking women to the museum’s summer lineup, prompting visitors to consider the careers they might pursue.
The installation uses hands-on activities and curated storytelling to spotlight women who have advanced in fields from science and technology to athletics and entrepreneurship. Organizers say the goal is not just to entertain but to broaden how young people — especially girls — visualize possible futures.
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What visitors will find
The exhibit, created in collaboration with museums and Mattel, is designed for family engagement and exploratory learning. Highlights include:
- Interactive stations that simulate professional tasks and spark imaginative play
- Profiles and multimedia presentations featuring women who overcame obstacles in STEM, business, and sports
- Photo opportunities and role-based costumes to help children step into different careers
- Takeaway prompts and resources to encourage follow-up learning at home and school
“Seeing role models reflected in a space for play can change how young people picture their own futures,” said Sherry Marshall, the museum’s president and CEO, describing the exhibit’s educational intent. She added that hands-on experiences can link curiosity with the confidence needed to pursue unfamiliar paths.
Why this matters now
Barbie has evolved since its debut more than six decades ago, representing hundreds of job titles over the years. That long-running diversity of imagined careers can matter in a practical way: early exposure to different occupations is associated with broader aspirations and more informed choices later on.
For parents and educators, the exhibit offers a low-pressure setting to introduce children to career concepts and to discuss how societal barriers have been challenged by visible role models. For museums, the program underlines an ongoing shift toward exhibits that blend play with career education.
Science Museum Oklahoma is hosting the traveling program as part of regular admission; the exhibit will remain on site through the summer months. The installation was originally developed by The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis in partnership with Mattel and has since toured to multiple venues.
Attendance at interactive exhibits like this can have ripple effects: they create moments where curiosity meets concrete examples of achievement, potentially shaping how children picture their own options when it comes to school subjects, hobbies and, ultimately, careers.
Families planning a summer outing should check the museum’s schedule for specific session times and visitor requirements, as capacity and timed-entry policies may apply.
