The Dr. Jane Goodall celebrity doll depicts her as herself at 26 years old as she set off to Tanzania to study chimpanzees in 1960.  Goodall is considered the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees for her 60 years of study in the field. Goodall’s favorite chimpanzee, David Greybeard, died in 1968.  The tribute doll was released by Mattel on July 11, 2022 as the first Barbie Inspiring Women Series doll to be made of 75% recycled plastics and with all cardboard packaging. The doll retailed for $35.00.

Dr. Jane Goodall
ETHOLOGIST AND CONSERVATIONIST

1934 – PRESENT
“WHAT YOU DO MAKES A DIFFERENCE,
AND YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF DIFFERENCE YOU WANT TO MAKE”
-DR. JANE GOODALL

Barbie® recognizes all female role models. The Inspiring Women™ Series pays tribute to incredible heroines of their time; courageous women who took risks, changed rules, and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before.
In July of 1960 at the age of 26, Dr. Jane Goodall journeyed from her home in England to the forest of Gombe National Park in Tanzania. Equipped with a pair of binoculars and a notebook, she fully immersed herself in the habitat of Gombe’s chimpanzees. While observing a male chimp, whom she named David Graybeard, she made the discovery chimpanzees fashion tools out of sticks. Her fascination with wildlife and her unorthodox method of field study led to her ground-breaking research and heroic achievements as a conservationist and humanitarian. Dr. Jane and her life-long work as a crusader for the ethical treatment of animals has been a tour de force of compassion and a benefit to our entire planet.
Girls need more role models like Dr. Jane Goodall, because imagining they can be anything is just the beginning. Actually seeing that they can make all the difference.

Your sustainable Dr. Jan Goodall doll is the first in the Barbie® Inspiring
Women(TM) Series to be made from a minimum of 75% recycled plastics*.

The Jane Goodall doll comes wearing a tan shorts and collared short-sleeved uniform.  The shirt has real pockets sewn on the front with a Velcro front opening.  The simple shorts have an elastic waist band.   Both are easily removable. On the feet are black hiking boots with slits up the back for easy removal.

The face has painted green eyes, freckles on the cheeks, and pink lips.  The multi-colored, highlighted, long blond hair is pulled straight back and tied in a ponytail with a simple poly-band.

The body is made of recycled ocean plastics and is very stiff with minimal articulation. The head turns around but does not tilt. The arms rotate at the shoulders but the arms are stiff. The doll’s left arm is fixed in a slightly bent position.  The legs move forward and backwards at the hip and the doll can sit with legs straight out.  The knees do not bend and the feet are fixed flat. The legs can separate about 20 degrees when standing.

Curators note:

While it doesn’t save plastic, this doll could use a made-to-move body replacement for posing and playing. YouTube has many how-to videos on removing Barbie heads.

The doll comes secure in an all cardboard box that must be taken apart to remove the doll without destroying it.  The box comes in a slip cover that is designed to coordinate with the Mattel Inspiring Women Series.

Curators notes:

Here are opening hints:
1)Start with the chimpanzee, gently open the flap below him by releasing the two section cover tabs at the sides. Once open turn the plastic pieces under his feet to release him. Keep the pieces if you might want to put him back or display him in a diorama later.
2)Open the accessory flap at the top releasing side tabs . Once opened, underneath is the green stand base. Take it out. You can take the accessories out at your leisure later.
3) Carefully pry out the cardboard tab at the bottom of the chimp compartment and the top of the accessory compartment. This will reveal overlapping cardboard hook pieces that when separated release the right side of the box. The center bar will loosen up a bit.
4)Next, carefully pry out the top and bottom flaps in the doll compartment. Two more cardboard hooks to be released and now the entire box separates so you get the Certificate of Authenticity and access to the back of the doll. Untie string at feet and wrestle the arms out of their cardboard holders and the doll is free and you can slide out the stand post.
5) Put the box back together, slide it into the slip cover, and you have a beautiful, solid storage box for you doll when you get done playing with it.

The doll comes with a black, hard plastic, hollow David Graybeard chimpanzee figure. The arms rotate and there are holes under the feet to receive the plastic packaging clips,  The brown eyes are glossy and the face is painted with the famous gray beard. Other accessories include a brown plastic stick for the chimpanzee, a plastic yellow watch, a blue notebook, and a soft plastic pair of binoculars that can hang around the Jane Goodall doll’s neck.

Also included is a green plastic base doll stand with a white post and a Certificate of Authenticity.

To get the current prices of the Jane Goodall Barbie doll use these links.  The museum gets a small commission for qualified purchase using the following links. The doll comes in and out of inventory for $35 at Amazon.

You can also buy the Jane Goodall doll and other related merchandise directly from the Jane Goodall Institute shop. They do have a notify me feature for restocking if it happens to be sold out.

Watch Dr. Goodall play with her new Inspiring Women Series Barbie: