Building the Museum
Building the Museum
The V&A's buildings are works of art in themselves. Each represents a chapter of the V&A's story and a moment in British design history
The V&A Story
This history of the V&A is a story like no other. From its early beginnings as a Museum of Manufactures in 1852, to the foundation stone laid by Queen Victoria in 1899, to today's state-of-the-art galleries, the museum has constantly evolved in its collecting and public interpretation of art and design. Its collections span 5,000 years of human creativity in virtually every medium, housed in one of the finest groups of Victorian and modern buildings in Britain.
Henry Cole, the V&A's first Director, declared that the museum should be a "schoolroom for everyone". Its mission was to improve the standards of British industry by educating designers, manufacturers and consumers in art and science. Acquiring and displaying the best examples of art and design contributed to this mission, but the 'schoolroom' itself was also intended to demonstrate exemplary design and decoration. The story of the design and construction of the V&A's buildings, and of the personalities who guided this process, is one of persistent vision and ingenuity, amid the changing artistic, political and economic circumstances of the last 150 years.
Collection highlights
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The V&A refreshment rooms, photograph by Marcus Ginns, 2017 -
The V&A Exhibition Road Quarter, photograph by Marcus Ginns, 2017 -
The V&A Cast Courts, photograph by Marcus Ginns, 2017 -
The V&A John Madejski Garden, photograph by Marcus Ginns, 2017 -
The V&A Grand Entrance, photograph by Marcus Ginns, 2017 -
The V&A Leighton Corridor, photograph by Marcus Ginns, 2017 -
The V&A Ceramic Staircase, photograph by Marcus Ginns, 2017 -
The V&A Daylit Gallery, photograph by Marcus Ginns, 2017 -
The V&A Ceramics Galleries, photograph by Marcus Ginns, 2017
Features
V&A Secret Seekers
V&A Secret Seekers
Let eight characters from the V&A's history guide you on an exciting treasure hunt in this new mobile game for families
100 years of V&A exhibition posters
100 years of V&A exhibition posters
Discover a weird and wonderful selection of V&A exhibition posters from yesteryear
The world's first museum café
The world's first museum café
The V&A Refreshment Rooms have been hailed throughout the years for their wealth and breadth of ornamentation, reflecting a range of contemporary design theory
100 Facts about the V&A
100 Facts about the V&A
Did you know?
A history of the V&A on Exhibition Road
A history of the V&A on Exhibition Road
From humble industrial beginnings to a stunning contemporary space, the V&A Exhibition Road Quarter is the epitome of "refinement and progress"
Gabrielle Enthoven – collector of theatre and performance
Gabrielle Enthoven – collector of theatre and performance
Discover one woman's efforts to establish a theatre and performance collection at the V&A
A grand entrance on Cromwell Road
A grand entrance on Cromwell Road
The huge sculpted Museum façade along Cromwell Road was a competition-winning design by young architect Aston Webb
History of the Cast Courts
History of the Cast Courts
Discover the fascinating story behind a unique collection housed in one of the most popular spaces of the Museum
The South Court and Leighton Frescos
The South Court and Leighton Frescos
Tucked away in the V&A are two surviving masterpieces of Victorian mural painting
History of the John Madejski Garden
History of the John Madejski Garden
Discover the design story of the John Madejski Garden – known to many as the heart of the V&A
The Daylit Gallery
The Daylit Gallery
Discover the history of the V&A's Daylit Gallery and its innovative redevelopment
Ashley Havinden and the 'Britain Can Make It' poster
Ashley Havinden and the 'Britain Can Make It' poster
Explore the development of Ashley Havinden's patriotic poster for the landmark 1946 exhibition, 'Britain Can Make It'.
History of the Ceramics Galleries & Ceramic Staircase
History of the Ceramics Galleries & Ceramic Staircase
This elaborate staircase was designed to highlight the versatility and beauty of decorative ceramics
'Britain Can Make It'
'Britain Can Make It'
This landmark exhibition held at the V&A in 1946 positioned Britain at the forefront of global industrial design
V&A trail: Architectural wonders
V&A trail: Architectural wonders
Discover the story of the V&A's eclectic buildings in this self-guided trail
Conservation of the Poynter Room grill
Conservation of the Poynter Room grill
See the magnificence of the metalwork return
Winnie-the-Pooh storybook character competition
Winnie-the-Pooh storybook character competition
Take a look at the winning and runners up entries of our Winnie-thePooh competition
How to pack a fragile and toxic object: ASMR
How to pack a fragile and toxic object: ASMR
How to you carefully pack something so precious?
Packing objects for a new home: ASMR
Packing objects for a new home: ASMR
How do you move over 250,000 museum objects from one side of London to the other?
