Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
South Kensington
London
SW7 2RL
England
Website
Telephone
Information/Switchboard
020 7942 2000
Fax
020 7942 2266
The V&A is one of the world’s greatest museums of art and design. More than seven miles of galleries are filled with outstanding collections of objects dating from 3000BC to the present day, including glass, textiles, ceramics, photography, jewellery and fashion. Highlights include the breathtaking Cast Courts, paintings by Constable, and the largest collection of Italian renaissance sculpture outside Italy. In addition, there is an exciting programme of exhibitions, displays, activities and contemporary events.
Venue type
Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
South Kensington
London
SW7 2RL
England
Website
Telephone
Information/Switchboard
020 7942 2000
Fax
020 7942 2266
Collection details
Archaeology, Architecture, Archives, Costume and Textiles, Decorative and Applied Art, Design, Fine Art, Music, Performing Arts, Personalities, Photography, Social History, Toys and Hobbies, Weapons and War, World Cultures
Key artists and exhibits
- The British Galleries 1500-1900 tell the story of British design from the Tudor age to the Victorian era. Fifteen completely refurbished galleries are filled with exhibits reflecting all of the top British designers of the times. The galleries are enhanced by computer interactives, objects to handle, video screens and audio programmes. Highlights include the gigantic Great Bed of Ware (mentioned in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night) and the wedding suit worn by James II. Inspirational, beautiful and unmatched in scope, the British Galleries offer an entirely new visitor experience in a stunning and innovative setting.
Collections services
- General guide to collections available
- Object identification and/or written enquiry service
- Public access available to collections information
- Specialist publications on collections available
- Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
South Kensington
London
SW7 2RL
England
Website
Telephone
Information/Switchboard
020 7942 2000
Fax
020 7942 2266
Baroque 1620-1800: Style in the Age of Magnificence
The magnificence and splendour of Baroque, one of the most opulent styles of the 17th and 18th centuries, will be the subject of the V&A's spring exhibition. The exhibition will reflect the complexity and grandeur of the Baroque style, from the Rome of Borromini and Bernini to the magnificence of Louis XIV's Versailles and the lavishness of Baroque theatre and performance. The exhibition will eb the first to examine all the elements of the Baroque style and will show how, as European power spread, Baroque style reached other parts of the world, captured in objects such as a gilded Mexican altarpiece.
When
10am-5:45pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum
Admission
£11 adults
£9 seniors
£6 students, 12-17 yrs, ES40 holders
To book, visit www.vam.ac.uk or call 0844 209 1770
Telling Tales- Fantasy and Fear in Contemporary Design
Telling Tales features work by a new generation of internationally regarded designers making limited edition one-off pieces that test the traditional boundaries between art and design. On display will be around 50 objects, including furniture, ceramics, lighting and intallations, by designers who place narrative and storytelling at the heart of their work to create highly collectable pieces that prize innovation and craftsmanship.
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum
Admission
Free
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
South Kensington
London
SW7 2RL
England
Website
Telephone
Information/Switchboard
020 7942 2000
Fax
020 7942 2266
From Arts and Crafts to Post-Modernism: Interior Design of the 20th Century
Explore how interior design involved as a professional discipline while responding to the stylistic changes in architecture, the fine arts and industrial design during the 20th century. In collaboration with the Modern Interiors Research Centre at Kingston University
When
10:30am-1pm
Where
Seminar Room 3, V&A
Admission
£250, concessions available. To book visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets or call 020 7942 2211
Relief Stone Carving: From Buddhist Temple to County House
Discover this ancient craft and learn both the theory and practice of relief stone carving with Tom Clarke, a carver who has been working in stone for many years. Starting as an ecclesiastical mason, Tom now works both on restoration projects and creates his own sculptural pieces for public collections. Gain inspiration from the V&A's collection of works carved in stone. Spanning five centuries, the collection reflects our cultural heritage, from Buddhist Temples to country houses.
When
10:30am-4:30pm
Where
Sackler Centre, V&A
Admission
£360, no concessions (includes basic materials). To book, visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets or call 020 7942 2211
World of Baroque
Join The English Concert on a discovery of 300 year-old instruments. Listen to a Baroque concert performance and create your own musical composition inspired by Baroque sounds.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
1-4pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum
Admission
Free, drop in. For more information visit www.vam.ac.uk/families or call 020 7942 2211
Love Letters in Stitch: Hand Stitching onto Antique Cloth
Learn how to create hand-stitched heirlooms in this three-day workshop. Rosalind Wyatt uses antique garments as a canvas, hand stitching words sourced from letters and other hand written artefacts. After examining handwriting and lettering used in textiles from the V&A collections, you will work directly with stitch and fabric, lerning to create a hand-stitched mark, finally progressing to 'working with a needle'. Participants are encouraged to bring documents and textiles to work from.
When
10:30am-4:30pm
Where
Sackler Centre, V&A
Admission
£120, no concessions (includes materials). To book, visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets or call 020 7942 2211
Gyles Brandreth- Celebrating British Theatre
When
7-8pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum Lecture Theatre
Admission
£8, concessions available
To book phone 020 7942 2211 or visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets
Felting Floors: Rug making using block-coloured felt
Transform random fibres into a quirky and personal floor piece with Harriet Hill, a magician of the felting process. Harriett specialises in creating fantasy worlds through fibre, and will lead you through the different stages of this very tactile process to the creation of your own fantastic floor piece.
When
10:30am-4:30pm
Where
Sackler Centre, V&A
Admission
£120, no concessions (includes materials). To book, visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets or call 020 7942 2211
Barbara Hulanicki- Beyond Biba, Screening and Interview
Barbara Hulanicki's Biba store was an icon of hip in the 1960s and 1970s. Since then she has designed for fashion greats such as Fiorucci and Cacharel and she now works in Miami as a designer of interiors. Following the screening of a new film about her life, directed by Louis Price, Hulanicki talks about her work and her career.
When
7-8pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum Lecture Theatre
Admission
£8, concessions available
To book call 020 7 942 2211 or visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets
In association with November Films
Michelle Ogundehin and Gareth Williams- Tour of Telling Tales
When
7-8pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum Exhibition Court
Admission
Free
Friday Late- Village Fete Jubilee
Play games and win prizes at this very contemporary take on the traditional English fete
When
6:30-10pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum
Admission
Admission fee applies
More information at www.vam.ac.uk
020 7942 2211
Village Fete Jubilee
Play games and win prizes at this very contemporary take on the traditional English fete
When
1-5pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum
Admission
Admission fee applies
More information at www.vam.ac.uk
020 7942 2211
Friday Late- Tune In, Soul'd Out
Get into the groove with live music and spoken word performances showcasing cutting edge alternative soul
When
6:30-10pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum
Admission
Free, drop-in
More information at www.vam.ac.uk
020 7942 2211
Tricia Guild- Talking Design
When
7-8pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum Lecture Theatre
Admission
£8, concessions available
For bookings visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets or phone 020 7942 2211
Celia Birtwell, Anna Pavord, David Mabberley & Richard Mabey- Inspired by Nature
When
7-8pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum Lecture Theatre
Admission
£8, concessions available
To book phone 020 7942 2211 or visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets
In association with the 250th anniversary of Kew Gardens
Ceramica
A weekend celebrating Ceramics. Debate with Edmund de Waal or contribute to The Collection, an installation by Clare Twomey. Take part in live firing sessions, be thrilled and fascinated by the science of ceramics with the Materials Library or try throwing, pinching and potting with the London Potters Association. Hear Willie Harcourt-Couze talk about chocolate and ceramics and try his special chocolate and truffles; watch Barnaby Barfords's Damaged Goods; see French Fancies, a promenade performance by Debbie Does; or find out how to look after your favourite ceramics from our skilled conservation team
When
6-4pm
Where
Throughout the Victoria and Albert Museum
Admission
Most events free, drop-in, some advanced booking required
For more information visit www.vam.ac.uk/ceramics
Edmund de Waal and Michelle Ogundehin- In Conversation
When
7-8pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum Lecture Theatre
Admission
£8, concessions available
For bookings visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets or phone 020 7942 2211
Ceramics
Discover the story of international ceramics in these extensive new galleries showcasing over 3300 objects from the earliest Chinese pottery to contemporary ceramic art. The central gallery will show masterpieces dating from as far back as 2500 BC, expoloring the links between the world's great ceramic traditions. Highlights include a drinking cup from ancient Greece; Ming dynasty Chinese porcelain; Meissen figures; Dutch Delftware ordered by Queen Mary for Hampton Court Palace; and a vase painted by Picasso.
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum
Admission
Free
Furniture Futures- V&A Biennial Design Symposium
This day will examine the growing interest in furniture as an expression of contemporary culture which crosses the boundaries between art, craftsmanship and design. Debate will also explore topics including: furniture as a new art form; the role of new materials and sustainability in design; and whether individual creativity or collaboration is the key to innovative practice. Speakers include Sebastian Berge, David Cowell, John Cedarquist, Chris Lefteri, Loic Le Gaillard, Caroline Roux and Ben Evans
When
10:30am-5:30pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum Lecture Theatre
Admission
£45, concessions available
For bookings visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets or phone 020 7942 2211
Sponsored by John Makepeace and the Furniture Makers' Company
London Design Festival
This September the V&A will be at the centre of the seventh annual London Design Festival. As the Festival hub, the V&A will be a focal point of design-related activity and the first port of call for all visitors to the Festival. Enjoy an exciting array of displays, installations, talks and workshops throughout the Museum, and take the opportunity to rub shoulders with London's design community and Festival visitors from around the world. Throughout the week the V&A's Sackler Centre will be the place to head for information, inspiration and to take in the atmosphere of the city-wide Festival.
When
10am-5:45pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum- Sackler Centre
Admission
Free access to the Sackler Centre, some events ticketed.
For more information visit www.londondesignfestival.com
Yves Behar- Talking Design
When
7-8pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum Lecture Theatre
Admission
£8, concessions available
For bookings visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets or phone 020 7942 2211
Friday Late- Fashion
Discover home-grown talent at this celebration of British fashion design
When
6:30-10pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum
Admission
Free, drop-in
More information at www.vam.ac.uk
020 7942 2211
Telling Tales- Narratives, Concepts and Contemporary Furniture
Symposium featuring leading contemporary designers, critics and writers related to the V&A's exhibition Telling Tales. The exhibition focuses on work by designers who explore the narrative potential of objects. Some of the work evokes the innocence of fairy-tales, others draw on displays of status, and other pieces are informed by psychoanalysis and anxieties about our mortality. Speakers, including the designers Job Smeeets and Nynke Tynagel, Dunne and Raby and Julie Loman, and editor of ICON magazine Justin McGuirk explore aspects of these and other topics raised by the exhibition
When
10:30am-5:30pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum- Hochhauser Auditorium
Admission
£45, concessions available
For bookings visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets or phone 020 7942 2211
Crossing Borders- The Conservation, Science and Material Culture of East Asian Lacquer
Marking the completion of the project to conserve the Mazarin Chest, a 17th century piece of Japanese export lacquer once owned by the Mazarin family, this conference brings together international speakers from the fields of lacquer conservation, conservation science, and material culture and art history. The keynote speaker is Christine Guth. Visiting speakers include Arlen Heginbotham, Cynthia Vialle, Kaori Hidaka, Marianne Webb, Meiko Nagashima and Yoshihiko Yamashita.
When
10:30am-5:30pm
Where
Victoria and Albert Museum- Hochhauser Auditorium, Sackler Centre
Admission
£90 for two days, £45 for one day, concessions available
Supported by the Getty Foundation
For bookings visit www.vam.ac.uk/tickets or phone 020 794 22211
Make Lounge
Meet people and make stuff! Inspired by our collections you will have the chance to learn a new skill in a short time- coached by experts from The Make Lounge, London's most stylish crafting venue- in a relaxed, fun, friendly atmosphereand you'll take home a chic, completed item. This week create a stunning cocktail ring using Swarowski crystals, glass and wood and semi-precious stones and tour the William and Judith Bollinger Jewellery Gallery.
When
6:30-9:30pm
Where
Art Studio, Sackler Centre, V&A
Admission
£45, no concessions (includes materials and a glass of wine). To book visit www.vam.ac.uk/events or call 020 7942 2211
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
South Kensington
London
SW7 2RL
England
Website
Telephone
Information/Switchboard
020 7942 2000
Fax
020 7942 2266
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
South Kensington
London
SW7 2RL
England
Website
Telephone
Information/Switchboard
020 7942 2000
Fax
020 7942 2266
