Regional Museum: The Barbie Museum
Ripatransone (Province of Ascoli Piceno)
Directions from Montefiore dell'Aso to The Barbie Museum - 13.5km - 8.4mi (22 min)
One of the last things you’d probably expect to find in a rural guest house in Le Marche would be a comprehensive exhibition of Barbie dolls – but here it is! Rosella Iobbi, the owner of the guest house and restaurant, has always had a passion for Barbie dolls, which were hard to get hold of in Italy when she was a child, so she dedicated a lot of her time, and money, to gathering a collection of about 1000 Barbie and Ken dolls.
Only about 450 dolls are on display, due to limitation of space. For Barbie-loving children (or adults) this is a cornucopia of delight.
The collection also contains Barbie’s predecessor, which was made in Germany in the late 40s and was called Bild Lilli. She was the protagonist in a cartoon strip for adults. All the dolls are wearing thier original clothes, which, in the early days, were hand sewn onto the dolls. She also has examples from the first American Mattel series from the 1950s. There are also dolls wearing unique haute couture designs by famous fashion designers.
She has also taken some of the most important items from her collection to various doll exhibitions around the world, receiving huge acclaim in Moscow, for example, in 2014.
Rosella is still passionate about her collection and will be delighted to show you round this extraordinary private collection.
Address
Agriturismo I Due Cipressi, Ripatransone, Ascoli Piceno
Tel: 073 599290
Email: rosellaiobbi@yahoo.it
Opening hours
Every day during working hours, but it’s a good idea to phone or email first to make an appointment.
Admission
Admission is free, but donations are welcome
