Victoria and Albert Museum

Decode: Digital Design Sensations

Decode, organised in collaboration with onedotzero, explores the latest developments in digital creativity and interactive design. This engaging exhibiton shows a dynamic range of works by international designers, ranging from small screen based graphic works to large-scale, immersive and interactive installations with a series of playful interventions placed throughout the museum.

Suitable for

• Family friendly
• All ages

When

10am-5:45pm

Where

Victoria and Albert Museum

Admission

£5 in person at the V&A.
Fees apply to phone and online bookings.

Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill

This is the first major first exhibition on Horace Walpole, the most important English collector of the 18th century, and will bring together many of his most remarkable objects.
Walpole was the first to systematically assemble the visual evidence of English history, and the first to recognise the importance of the portrait miniature to the history of British art.
This exhibition will recreate Walpole's pioneering collection in the context of the rooms at Strawberry Hill, where visitors experienced a journey through ancient and modern British history and European art.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

10am-5:45pm

Admission

£6, concessions available

Quilts 1700-2010

Showcasing the V&A's collection of patchwork and quilted covers, this exhibition will bring together over 300 years of British quilting history, from the spectacular bed hangings and silk coverlets of the 18th century, to the creative reinvention of the quilt by contemporary artists, such as Grayson Perry and Tracey Emin.
On show will be around 70 beautifully crafted quilts, mostly from the V&A's collections, along with key national loans and special commissions. The exhibition will celebrate the astonishing vision involved in the design and making of each quilt, and attempt to unravel some of the complex and individual narratives embedded in its history.
Fascinating pieces include a cot

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

10am-5:45pm

Where

Room 39 and North Court

Admission

£10, concessions available

Grace Kelly: Style Icon

This exhibition shows the spectacular wardrobe of Grace Kelly, one of the most popular actresses of the 1950s. Featuring dresses from her film including High Society and Rear Window, as well as the gown she wore to accept her Oscar in 1955, the display will examine Grace Kelly's glamorous Hollywood image and induring appeal. It will also explore the evolution of her style as Princess Grace of Monaco, from the outfit she wore to her first meeting with Prince Rainier in 1955 to her haute couture gowns of the 1960s and '70s by her favourite couturiers Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy and Yves Saint Laurent.

Suitable for

• All ages

When

10am-5:45pm

Admission

£6

1:1 - Architects Build Small Space

The V&A has commissioned a group of international architects to build a series of structures throughout the Museum which will respond to the theme of the 'retreat'. The starting point for these experimental projects will be the idea of a small enclosed space representing an escape from the chaos of urban life to an area for peace, contemplation, shelter or creativity. One of the central aims of the exhibition is to move away from explaining architecture through drawings and models and instead allow the visitor to experience the architecture itself.

When

10am-5:45pm

Where

Porter Gallery

Admission

Free

Lunchtime Lectures

Free, illustrated lectures that explore exhibitions, displays and other subjects.
Wednesdays 13:15-14:00
7 April: Fashion and Armour in Renaissance Europe, Angus Patterson
21 April: Death and Art in Medieval and Renaissance Europe, Eleanor Townsend
5 May: Walpole to Pugin: The Development of the Gothic Revivial, Megan Aldrich
19 May: Quilts 1700-2010, Sue Prichard, Curator Talk
2 June: Grace Kelly: Style Icon, Jenny Lister, Curator Talk
16 June: Unearthing the Past: My Career in Fine Art Textiles, Natasha Kerr

When

1:15-2pm

Where

Hochhauser Auditorium or Lecture Theatre

Admission

Free, no booking required

Frank Stephenson- Talking Design

Designer of the world-famous Mini and design chief for Ferrari and Maserati, Stephenson also created future vehicles for Fiat and Lancia and now works for McLaren. He talks about designing lifestyle and automobile icons.

When

7-8pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

Sephardic Music Concert

Sepharidic music originated from Jews living in medieval Spain but has since picked up influences from North Africa and South America. Lyrics can be in several languages, including Hebrew and the Sephardic language Ladino.
Established in 2006, Kerensya (Ladino for fondness) consists of a male singer, a guitarist, a ney/flute player and a percussionist. Roots brings together a wide spectrum of music combining both Mediterranean Jewish and non-Jewish melodies whose origin goes back hundreds of years.

Suitable for

• All ages

When

3-4pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

Free, ticketed (Tickets available on the day at the Lecture Theatre from 14:30)

From the Margins to the Core?

Explore shifting roles and increasing significance of diversity and equality in contemporary museum and heritage policy and practice.
Aims include reviewing equality and diversity policy and practice in order to reaffirm its importance and to inform future directions. Key questions include: how far have we embedded diversity into core business; interconnections between diversity strands; and what drives change.
Keynote speakers include Guardian journalist Gary Younge and U.S. artist Fred Wilson

When

9:30am-5:30pm

Where

Sackler Centre

Admission

£180 for three days, £120 for two days, £60 for one day, concessions available
(includes lunch and drinks reception, additional £30 for conference dinner)

Friday Late- Playgrounds

Enjoy a night of social games and playful experiences exploring the collision of art, theatre and game design. Test your reason, cunning and dedication as you win, lose, chase, create and discover.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

6:30-10pm

Where

Throughout the V&A

Admission

Free

Underwear- Craving, Collecting & Caring

Discover the V&A's underwear collection with curator Eleri Lynn and gain advice on how to care for collectable pieces. Hear the secrets of glamorous corset and lingerie company FairyGothMother as they discuss and demonstrate their current practice.
Examine the design and history of men's underwear with writer and curator Shaun Cole. Explore the recent developments of Marks and Sepncer's renowned household underwear lines, and investigate the trends and influences on today's collecting market with auctioneer Kerry Taylor.

When

11am-4:30pm

Where

Hochhauser Auditorium, Sackler Centre

Admission

£45, £36 concessions

Curious Specimens- Enlightenment Objects, Collections, Narratives

Examine the 18th-century cultures and practices of collecting on display in the V&A's exhibition Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill and Mrs Delany's Circle and the Art of Natural History at Sir John Sloane's Museum. Speakers will discuss collections, collectors and their circles and intersections and tensions between antiquarian, aesthetic, and scientific cultures of collecting
Thursday 15 April 17:00-18:30 Royal College of Surgeons
Friday 16 April 10:30-18:00 Hochhauser Auditorium, Sackler Centre

When

5-6pm

Where

Hochhauser Auditorium

Admission

£36 full fee, £31 concessions, £15 students (includes lunch and evening wine reception)

Gothic Fantasies & the Palace of Westminster

Explore the V&A's rich holding of 19th-century photographs of building and architectural heritage and visit the most spectacular monument to the Gothic Revival, the Palace of Westminster. Examine the relationship between early photography and architectural practice and discover how photographs can preserve an image of an idealised past. You'll spend the morning in the galleries and the Prints and Drawing Study Room; and in the afternoon you'll tour the Palace of Westminster.

When

10:30am-4pm

Where

Seminar Room 1 and the Palace of Westminster

Admission

£45, £36 concessions

Richard Sennett- The Craftsman

The Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and New York University discusses the ideas in his recent book The Craftsman, which champions the values of good craftsmanship for everyone, with Mark Jones, Director of the V&A.

When

7-8pm

Where

Hochhauser Auditorium, Sackler Centre

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

Lee Bender- Bus Stop and 70s Fashion

The designer of classic 70s fashions and accessories for Bus Stop discusses the history of Bus Stop, 70s fashions and her work in an event that coincides with the publication of a new book on this subject.

When

7-8pm

Where

Hochhauser Auditorium, Sackler Centre

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

V&A Connects: Inclusive Design

Join us on the last Tuesday of each month for an evening of ideas, inspiration, networking and discussion about design, architecture, fashion, media and other creative industries.
Inclusive Design: With the RCA, Helen Hamlyn, Centre for Innovation

When

6:30-8:30pm

Where

Sackler Centre Lunchroom

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

Friday Late- Stitched Up

Needles at the ready as we explore all things stitched and celebrate British craft traditions and the Quilts exhibition.

When

6:30-10pm

Where

Throughout the V&A

Admission

Free, drop in

Patchwork Social

Drop-in during the early May bank holiday weekend and sew a 12x12 inch patchwork block by hand or machine. Leave your patchwork with the V&A to be transformed into a quilt to be donated to Project Linus, a charity supporting children with serious illness or trauma. If you are new to patchwork, tutors will help you create a basic nine-patch square.
On Saturday see 300 Girl Guides make patchwork blocks as part of their Craft badges. Families can take part in no-sew activities on Sunday so even the youngest novices can get involved. Bring your old textiles along on Monday and turn them into treasure with repurposing sessions.

When

11am-4pm

Where

Sackler Centre

Admission

Free, drop-in

Alasdhair Willis- Talking Design

As one of the founders of Established & Sons, Alasdhair Willis commissions work by Zaha Hadid, Jasper Morrison, Barber Osgerby and others. He discusses his ideas with Alice Rawsthorn.

When

7-8pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

Grace Kelly and Alfred Hitchcock on Screen

Film historian Sandra Shevey leads an evening celebrating the working relationship between Grace Kelly and Alfred Hitchcock which led to some of the most memorable films of both their careers. The V&A will screen Dial M for Murder, Rear Window and To Catch a Thief.
Sandra Shevey will introduce the evening with a talk on Hitchcock's Favorite Blonde.

When

6:30-11:30pm

Where

Hochhauser Auditorium, Sackler Centre V&A

Admission

Free admission

Grace Kelly, Hollywood and Fashion

Investigate the relationship between film and fashion in the 'golden age' of Hollywood. Celebrities have always played an important role in setting trends and there are numerous stars who have exercised a huge influence on fashion.
Coinciding with the sumptuous Grace Kelly: Style Icon display, this fascinating day will explore the role of cinema and magazines in creating fashion leaders such as Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. You'll examine different fashionable ideals representedby figures like Dirk Bogarde and Carole Lombard, and also look at the lasting legacy of Hollywood style-icons in contemporary fashion and fashion journalism.

When

10:30am-5pm

Where

Hochhauser Auditorium, Sackler Centre

Admission

£45, £36 concessions

Katie Grand - Celebrity and Fashion

Hear journalist and stylist Katie Grand, contributor to many magazines including The Face, Dazed & Confused and Pop and publisher of the recently launched magazine, Love. Her friendship with fashion's edgiest stars has turned the high priestess of fashion into a celebrity herself.

When

7-8pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

V&A Museums at Night 2010

The Victoria and Albert Museum will be open until midnight. Selected galleries and the following exhibitions will be open: Quilts 1700-2010; Grace Kelly: Style Icon.

Suitable for

• Family friendly

When

5:45-11:59pm

Admission

Free admission

Play in a Day

Enjoy a personal tour of the Theatre & Performance galleries and learn about the process of putting on a show. Be inspired by the objects and present your own theatrical take on this unique collection at the end of the day, using improvisation and devising skills. Acting experience is not essential, enthusiasm is!

When

11am-4pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

Free, numbers limited, booking essential
Part of Adult Learners' Week, see www.alw.org.uk

Fashion Show: A Musical Revue

Explore the heady world of fashion through the art of musical theatre as Members' Week closes in style. This witty musical revue inspired by the glamour and glitz of Grace Kelly features songs by the masters- including Stephen Sondheim, Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern.
A cast drawn from the West End and a celebrity host are sure to make this unique evening a must for any dedicated follower of fashion.

When

7-8pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

£18, no concessions
includes wine reception with the performers

The Office

Investigate the history of the office and explore its future role and design with design historians and architects Kevin Haley and David Chambers. The office dominates the working lives of millions of people and has had a profound influence on culture and lifestyle as well as furniture and architecture. Yet it dates back little more than 150 years.
Often driven by technological developments such as the lightbulb, typewriter, telephone, and computer, it has evolved from private study, to cubicle, to open-plan, to paperless zone, to home working.

When

2-5pm

Where

Seminar Room 1, Sackler Centre

Admission

£25, £20 concessions

V&A Connects: Against the Grain

Join us on the last Tuesday of each month for an evening of ideas, inspiration, networking and discussion about design, architecture, fashion, media and other creative industries.
Against the Grain: with At Abrahams

When

6:30-8:30pm

Where

Sackler Centre Lunchrooms

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

Renzo Piano - St Giles

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano designs "high-tech" buildings that showcase technological shapes and materials. His latest project is the redevelopment of St. Giles in central London. He discusses his approach to urban design with architecture critic Lucy Bullivant.

When

7-8pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

Friday Late: The Concise Dictionary of Dress by Artangel

Explore the relationships between definitions and archives, clothing, identity and psychology.

When

6:30-10pm

Where

Throughout the V&A

Admission

Free, drop in

Matthew Hilton- Modern Furniture

Matthew Hilton is one of the UK's most successful furniture designers and many of his pieces are already considered modern classics. He often updates and reinvents longestablished furniture forms prioritising proportion, scale and functionality. He talks about his career and recent work.

When

7-8pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

Peter Blake - In Conversation

Celebrate the unique creative talent of the renowned British 'pop' artist, famous for works such as the album cover of the Beatles' classic Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. This event marks the publication of a new book Peter Blake Design

When

7-8pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

Quilts 1700-2010 - Hidden Histories, Untold Stories

Navigate a path through the myths and misconceptions surrounding quilts and their production over three centuries. Themes will include the history of the domestic interior, the juxtaposition of personal narratives with key political and social events; personal and collective identities and quilting; and quilts as a commercial concern. Cultural, social and textile historians, together with artists and practioners will explore the historical, social and cultural references that document these complex narratives in order to understand more about the meaning of quilts.

When

10:30am-5pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

£92 for two days, £74 concessions, £10 students
£46 for one day, £37 concessions, £5 students

Renaissance Collaborations

Explore the role and practice of collaboration in the making of art and design during the Renaissance. You'll analyse case studies selected from the new Medieval & Renaissance galleries and hear talks by curators, historians and conservators as well as between individuals, and overlaps and exchange between different media, disciplines and countries.
It focuses on case studies selected from the new Medieval & Renaissance galleries and includes talks by curators, historians and conservators including Kirstin Kennedy, Glyn Davies, Peta Motture, Kim Wood, Carol Richardson and Rachel Turnbull.

When

10:30am-4pm

Where

Hochhauser Auditorium, Sackler Centre

Admission

£45, £36 concessions

World Cities: Monaco

Discover how to cruise Monaco on a million or on a budget. Explore the principality's relationship with the sea, the glamorous Port Hecule and the allure of the Yacht Club de Monaco. Investigate the cultural and architectural history of Monaco and learn about the people and families, including the Grimaldis, who influenced its development.
The power and pull of the famous casinos will be looked at including the infamous story of 'the man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo'.
Speakers include Roger Macdonald, Richard Johnstone-Bryden and Monique Riccardi-Cubitt

When

1:30-4:30pm

Where

Seminar Room 1, Sackler Centre

Admission

£25, £20 concessions

Refugee Week

Explore refugee-made work in the V&A's collections through a curator-led talk with Alun Graves on Lucie Rie and Hans Coper, two emigre potters, on Thursday 17 June at 12 noon. Join refugees on Sunday 13 and Saturday 19 Junes as they lead the acclaimed My V&A tours. Hear fine art textile artist Natasha Kerr speak about her initial inspirations for her work from photos from her refugee grandfather and displace family on Wednesday 16 June at 13:15.
Attend a free workshop led by Natasha on Saturday 12 June and design your own textile artwork using personal photographs, story telling and memories. Events also include drama, poetry, music, dance and discussion.

When

10am-5:45pm

Admission

Free, some events ticketed

Christopher Frayling- Horace Walpole's Cat

Explore the sparkling social and cultural life of the 18th century with the cultural historian and ex-Rector of the RCA as he investigates the demise of Selima, Horace Walpole's cat and the curious events that followed.

When

7-8pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

Kaffe Fassett's Quilt Romance

Be inspired by one of the world's leading textile designers to create and develop your 'mind's eye' as Kaffe Fassett showcases his luscious designs

When

7-8:45pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

£18, no concessions
includes wine reception and book signing with the speaker

Juergen Teller- In Conversation

Meet the provocative photographer and artist who has photographed many celebrities in unusual situations and has exhibited at MOMA and Tate Modern.

When

7-8pm

Where

Lecture Theatre

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

Rural Studio & Jeremy Till - Architecture and Locality

Andrew Freear, Director of Rural Studio, and Professor Jeremy Till discuss ways in which architecture can bridge the gap between theory and the demands of the real world.

When

7-8pm

Where

Hochhauser Auditorium, Sackler Centre

Admission

£8, £6 concessions
Organised in collaboration with the Architecture Foundation

Friday Late: Escape

In collaboration with The Architecture Foundation, join us as we celebrate the 1:1- Architects Build Small Spaces exhibition.

When

6:30-10pm

Where

Throughout the V&A

Admission

Free, drop in

Quilts - Craving, Collecting and Caring

Explore the history and context of quilt making with V&A Curator Sue Prichard who will also introduce the V&A's remarkable and rich quilt collection. Gain advice on caring for historic and contemporary quilts with V&A Conservator Jo Hackett and join Jen Jones, quilt specialist and dealer who will offer insights into the trends and developments of the quilt collecting market.

When

1:30-4:30pm

Where

Seminar Room 1, Sackler Centre

Admission

£25, £20 concessions

V&A Connects: Installation as Laboratory

Join us on the last Tuesday of each month for an evening of ideas, inspiration, networking and discussion about design, architecture, fashion, media and other creative industries.
Installation as Laboratory: with Rintala Eggertsson Architects

When

6:30-8:30pm

Where

Sackler Centre Lunchrooms

Admission

£8, £6 concessions

Record/Create - Oral History in Art, Craft and Design

Oral history has become a significant methodology for understanding creative practitioners and the context and meaning of the work they produce. This seminal conference will bring together an international community of those working with oral history in the fields of art, craft and design. Keynote speakers will include the influential artists David Toop and Michael McMilan.

When

10:30am-5:30pm

Where

Hochhauser Auditorium, Sackler Centre

Admission

£112 for two days, £94 concessions, £30 students
£56 for one day, £47 concessions, £15 students
(includes lunch)