This is the flag pole for the Toys R Us Astronaut Barbie doll issued by Mattel in 1994 commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first human landing on the Moon by Apollo 11 in 1969.
Invented by Mattel Toys co-founder Ruth Handler in 1958, Barbie dolls were conceived as a toy that would allow children to play with a doll of an adult woman, not a baby or child/companion. As such, Barbie dolls allowed their owners to act out the life of a "single career girl." In the history of this immensely-popular and iconic toy, the Barbie doll has taken on several aviation- and space-themed jobs, including several versions of Barbie as a stewardess, astronaut, or pilot.
This depiction of the doll as an Apollo astronaut did not attempt a precise representation. The design is more commemorative than accurate.
This doll and costume was donated to the Museum by Mattel in 1995.