We hope this page will help you plan your visit to Young V&A – especially if you're coming for the first time.
Getting here
Young V&A is on Cambridge Heath Road, in East London, a short walk from Bethnal Green underground station, or Cambridge Heath overground station. The nearest tube with step-free access is Whitechapel.
If you're coming from Bethnal Green underground, follow the signs for the Cambridge Heath Road (east side) exit. A short subway will take you to street level.
Walk along Cambridge Heath Road for about two minutes. Our building is set back from the road, surrounded by gardens. We have a new gate!
Inside Young V&A
Entry to Young V&A is free and open to all. The entrance is step-free and you can get around the whole museum without using stairs. Security staff may ask to look inside your bag when you arrive. At busy times, there might be a queue.
Welcome Area and Shop
You'll arrive in our Welcome Area. Ask our staff about What's On today, or explore the Young V&A Shop. You can park your buggy here, just to the right of the door, and borrow a wheelchair if you need one.
On the right of the Welcome Area, the staircase takes you to the lower-ground floor, where you'll find the toilets, accessible toilets, storage lockers for small items, Creative Studios, and the Reading Room – our designated quiet space.
You'll find the lift on the right as you enter the Town Square, this takes you to all floors.
Town Square and Café
Straight ahead, you'll find the Town Square, the central area of the museum on the ground floor.
At the far end of the Town Square, you'll find our Café, serving a range of hot and cold meals, cakes and pastries, tea and coffee from 10.00 – 17.00 Monday to Sunday.
The big staircase takes you from the Town Square to the Design Gallery and temporary exhibition space on the upper level.
The Play and Imagine Galleries can be accessed via a short flight of stairs on the left of the Square, or a ramp on the right. All levels can also be accessed via the lift on the right as you enter the square.
The Galleries – Play, Imagine and Design
On the right of the Town Square, the Play Gallery invites babies and toddlers to discover colours, textures and shapes placed at eye-level height. The construction zone includes den-making and a large marble run, while the Arcade looks at the history of boardgames and video game design with lots of games to play.
On the other side of the Town Square, also accessible via the ramp or stairs, is the Imagine Gallery. Here you'll find spaces to inspire creative expression through performance, storytelling, imagination and community. You'll also find the much-loved dolls' house collection, a life-size Joey the War Horse puppet, and the original Superman costume worn by Christopher Reeve.
You'll also find another lift at the back of the Imagine Gallery.
The Design Gallery on the upper floor includes activities and workshops for older children, introducing them to design processes, ideas creation, and problem-solving. Here you’ll also find The Shed – a space to explore the work of a contemporary artist or designer, and take part in design challenges in the Open Studio.
Opposite the Design Gallery on the upper level you'll also find our temporary exhibition space. See what's coming up in What's On.
You can exit the building the same way you came in.
We hope you enjoy your visit!