Before you visit
Planning what to see
- Young V&A is a relatively compact museum, with plenty of space to get creative. Explore the three, free permanent galleries titled Imagine, Play and Design.
- Sometimes additional exhibitions are available, which may carry an entrance charge. For more information, check our website at the time of booking.
- For up-to-date information on opening times, directions and facilities, check our visit page or call us on +44 (0)20 8983 5200 near the time of your visit
Changes and cancellations
- Call +44 (0)20 8983 5200 as soon as possible if you need to change or cancel your visit, or anticipate being late for your time slot.
Arrival
- On arrival, our Visitor Experience teams will meet and direct you to the school check-in desk in the Portal Trust Community Room, on the lower ground floor.
- You will be allocated a space for bags and coats and notified of any helpful information relating to your visit. Please have booking details to hand.
Teacher/student ratio
Adult supervision is required at all times with the following adult-to-student ratios:
- 0 – 2 years 1 adult: 3 children
- 2 – 3 years 1 adult: 4 children
- 4 – 8 years 1 adult: 6 children
- 9 – 12 years 1 adult: 8 children
- 13 – 18 years 1 adult: 10 children
Please note, students are not permitted in galleries unaccompanied.
All teachers and accompanying adults are responsible for student supervision for the duration of your visit and must remain with the group at all times.
Teachers are the lead supervisor for their group and must ensure that students behave in a way that minimises the likelihood of accidents or damage.
Access
- If anyone in your group has any additional access needs and requires assistance, let us know at the time of booking.
- Please see our access at Young V&A page, or call us on +44 (0)20 8983 5200 for full information about access.
Risk assessment
- You should carry out your own risk assessment before visiting, and bring it with you on the day. See our Health and Safety page for more guidance.
- A copy of our risk assessment is available on request to assist with creating your own risk assessment. Please contact our team at: yvaschools@vam.ac.uk.
Staying safe at the museum
- To enable you and your students to have the best and safest experience whilst visiting us, we advise dividing your larger group into smaller sub-groups to move around the museum.
- Please ensure each smaller group still meets our teacher to student ratios outlined above.
- Our friendly staff may ask you to split into smaller groups to participate in some of our interactive areas, so that they can be safely and fairly accessed by your group and other visitors.
On the day of your visit
- Please ensure that all adults have a printout of the following information when visiting.
Arriving at Young V&A
- Please enter the museum via the main entrance on Cambridge Heath Road and head to the Portal Trust Community Room on the lower ground floor to check in with our Visitor Experience team. Please note, the main entrance is step-free and wheelchair accessible.
- All groups must check in at the Community Room where our friendly staff will check your group ticket.
- In the interest of visitor safety, our Security team may carry out bag searches at the entrances to the museum.
Facilities for schools
- There are lunchroom facilities in the Portal Trust Community Room. A 30-minute slot is automatically allocated to your group upon the booking of a school workshop.
- It may be possible to use the museum's outdoor space for a packed lunch if the weather permits.
- Consuming food in the galleries is strictly forbidden.
Storage
- Early years foundation stage and primary school groups will be allocated one storage trolley per 30 children for their coats and bags.
- Free locker facilities are available in the lower ground floor corridor for the public and are available to KS3 groups. Keys can be obtained from the Portal Trust Community Room check-in desk.
Conduct
- You are welcome to draw in any gallery. For temporary exhibitions, please check signage or ask a member of staff. Please only use dry materials, for example, coloured or graphite pencils. Materials must be encased in a box or bag.
- Teachers are responsible for students' behaviour and safety at all times. Please remind your group not to touch objects, climb, shout or run while at Young V&A.
- If the behaviour of any groups or individuals affects the safety or enjoyment of other visitors, they will be asked to leave. Teachers should ensure that pupils understand how they are expected to behave and have contingency measures in place in the event that anyone is asked to leave.
- Pupils should be instructed to inform a member of Visitor Experience staff (wearing an orange apron) if they become separated from the rest of the group. Please ensure all pupils and accompanying adults are made aware of this in advance of their visit.
Safeguarding
- Everyone, whatever age, disability, gender, ethnicity, religion or belief, and sexual identity, has the right to protection from abuse. The V&A is committed to the protection of children and adults at risk of harm and recognises safeguarding as everyone's responsibility.
- Our Safeguarding policy therefore applies to all staff, as well as zero-hour workers, freelancers, contractors, volunteers, interns, work placements, and the board of trustees, and relates to V&A sites in London. It also includes guidance on how contractors and partners working at our sites must work with us to uphold this policy.
- Find out more about our Safeguarding Policy.
Other general information
Opening times
- Young V&A is open Monday to Sunday, 10.00 – 17.45. Galleries close from 17.00.
- We are closed 24 – 26 December
Admission
- Admission to Young V&A is free. A separate charge may apply for some special exhibitions and events.
- School groups can visit our exhibitions at a discounted rate. To book and find out more, please call our Contact Centre team on +44 (0)20 8983 5200 and an advisor will be able to process your request.
How to reach Young V&A
Our address is:
Young V&A
Cambridge Heath Road, London, E2 9PA
- Train: Nearest Underground stations: Bethnal Green (5-min walk), Overground (Cambridge Heath Station (5 mins) Whitechapel (15 mins)
- Coaches: Two drop-off points on Cambridge Heath Road, outside Young V&A's entrance. All drop-off points allow up to 15 minutes waiting time. Coach parking facilities in Whitechapel High Street NCP.
- Schools in the Greater London Area can apply for free public transport when making visits to museums within the GLA area.
Need more help?
If you have any questions before you visit, please contact our Learning Co-ordinator: yvaschools@vam.ac.uk