Pamela Anderson’s iconic ‘Baywatch’ swimsuit to headline London Design Museum’s swimwear exhibit

The exhibition, debuting in March, highlights a century of swimming culture, design, and its societal influence.

Pamela Anderson’s famous red swimsuit from Baywatch, one of the most iconic pieces of television history, will be displayed in Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style at London’s Design Museum. The exhibit, opening in March, celebrates 100 years of swimming culture, design, and societal impact.

The swimsuit, worn by Anderson from 1992 to 1997, comes from Germany’s BikiniARTmuseum, which acquired it from the collection of David Hasselhoff and All-American Television. Each Baywatch actor received custom suits tailored to their measurements, inspired by lifeguard uniforms in Southern California.

Splash! explores swimming’s evolution from the 1920s to the present, touching on themes like body autonomy, leisure trends, and folklore. Highlights include Lucy Morton’s 1924 Olympic gold medal, Speedo’s controversial LZR Racer swimsuit, and Zaha Hadid’s London 2012 Aquatics Centre model.

Guest curator Amber Butchart praised Anderson’s influence: “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.”

The exhibit also features early bikinis, men’s Speedo briefs, and media influences such as The Little Mermaid, tying swimming culture to broader social and design changes over the past century.