Over the year before Young V&A opens, we’re celebrating 150 years of our museum in Bethnal Green with 150 acts of creativity.
The programme includes moments for families in East London to join in with free events that celebrate our 150th anniversary this summer.
Summer 2022 Family events
Everyone a Maker: Play and Celebrate
Rich Mix / Sunday 26 June, 13.00 – 15.00
Ages 5+
Exercise your design skills with artist Matt Shaw as we play with giant building blocks from the Imagination Playground, and leave a birthday drawing for the museum.
Now fully booked
Rich Mix, 35 – 47 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6LA
Great Get Together
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park / Saturday 23 July, 12.00 – 16.00
All ages
Create and play with the Young V&A Team and artist Emilie Queney and in large scale construction play, drawing on themes from the developing museum’s galleries.
Free, drop-in
East Bank Zone, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Story making Workshops
Various venues, Tower Hamlets
Saturdays 23 July – 10 September (excluding 27 August), 15.00 – 16.00
Ages 5+
Join us at your local Idea Store libraries in support of the National Summer Reading Challenge. A mix of interactive storytelling and creative making activity devised by artist Arkem Mark Walton.
Free, drop-in – but each event has a limited capacity.
- 23 July – Bethnal Green Library, E2 0HL
- 30 July – Idea Store Whitechapel, E1 1BU
- 6 August – Idea Store Chrisp Street, E14 6BT
- 13 August – Idea Store Bow, E3 5EU
- 20 August – Idea Store Canary Wharf, E14 5RB
- 3 September – Bethnal Green Library, E2 0HL
- 10 September – Cubitt Town Library, E14 3HG
This is Me: pop-up photo studio
Oxford House / Monday 8 August, 13.00 – 16.00
Ages: 5 – 14
Show off your creativity by taking part in a special pop up photography event. Come in your football boots, bring the book you are reading, show us the model you have made, come along with the toys you are collecting, or just come as you are! Leading East London photographer Rehan Jamil will be with the Young V&A museum team to capture portraits as a memento of the diverse ways children and young people are creative.
Free, drop-in
Oxford House, Derbyshire St, Bethnal Green, London E2 6HG
Create and Play with Young V&A
All Points East In the Neighbourhood, Victoria Park
Sunday 21 – Monday 22 August, 12.00 – 16.00
Ages: 3 – 11
Join the Young V&A team at our outdoor play pop-up. Use large-scale play kits to construct a huge tower, a boat to sail away on, a den to hide in, or create anything you choose! An array of materials developed by design and play experts will also be available as you use your imagination to be creative and have fun together.
Free, drop-in
More information coming soon
All Points East in the neighbourhood, Victoria Park
Children must be accompanied by an adult at all our family events.
Share what you create at our events with us on Instagram (@young.vam) or Twitter (@young_vam). And don’t forget to sign up to our newsletter to follow the latest news on the development of the Young V&A.
