Pamela Anderson’s famed Baywatch swimsuit has graduated from Los Angeles beaches to a London museum exhibit, some 30 years after it last mesmerized viewers in slow-motion scenes from the show’s signature intro.
The Independent reports that the red one-piece, on-loan from Germany’s BikiniARTmuseum, will be a main attraction at Splash! A Century of Swimming And Style at London’s Design Museum. The exhibit will explore 100 years of humanity’s aquatic history as it examines he rise and proliferation of swimming pools, the earliest surviving example of a bikini, and a timeline of culturally significant swimwear, including “Mermaidcore” made famous by Halle Bailey and Dua Lipa in this decade and Anderson’s Baywatch piece.
“It’s incredible to be showing Pamela Anderson’s iconic Baywatch swimsuit in the exhibition, especially at this pivotal point when she has reclaimed her own image and has designed and modelled her own swimwear,” said dress and design historian Amber Butchart, who will guest-curate the exhibit. “I live in Margate and I grew up in a seaside town and, as a fashion historian, understanding our relationship with water through design and clothing has always been at the heart of my work.”
The original Baywatch, starring Anderson as CJ Parker opposite David Hasselhoff’s Mitch Buchannon, is credited with launching the Canadian leading lady’s career, which included several roles met with lukewarm receptions (along with an unforgettable cameo in Sacha Baron Cohen’s Bora ) and just recently hit its critical pinnacle with her lauded performance in The Last Showgirl.
The “Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style” exhibit is set to open on March 28, 2025.
