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About Victoria & Albert Museum London

Known amongst the leading museums of design, art, and performance, the Victoria & Albert museum is a treasure house of some of the finest artefacts, paintings and objects. With over 2.3 million objects in the collection, including incredible sculptures, rich textiles, fancy ceramics and exquisite jewellery one can enjoy here for over 3 hours. Apart from the extravagant collection, the attractions at the Victoria and Albert Museum include the Photography Centre and the Cast Courts, which is home to copies of Michelangelo’s David and Trajan’s Column.

When in the Victoria museum, do visit the Raphael Cartoons, decorated with seven beautiful tapestries, with displays of popular shows such as the Christian Dior, Tim Walker, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The Victoria and Albert museum also hosts some of the very popular exhibitions and shows, covering various artforms and showcasing some of the rare and best works by artists around the world. You can also choose to shop at this incredibly spectacular museum and take away books, posters, unique clothing or jewellery as souvenirs for your family and friends. Do not forget to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum Cafe to avail one-of-a-kind dining experience, which can be enjoyed by people of all age groups.

Highlights Of Victoria And Albert Museum London

The Victoria and Albert Museum houses one of the most extensive collections in the world, with about 2.3 million objects on display.
The collection at the Victoria museum spans over a period of 5000 years and is one of the finest examples of human craftsmanship.
The objects of interest in the Victoria Museum include architecture, art, paintings, textiles, ceramics, jewellery and many more.
Some of the popular collections in the museum include the Cybele by Rodin, Evening coat by Elsa Schiaparelli and Jean Cocteau, Betel nut container and so on.
The Victoria Museum hosts several exhibitions and shows representing art from all over the world.

History Of Victoria And Albert Museum London

Initially known as the Museum of Manufactures, the Victoria and Albert Museum was built in 1857. Sir Henry Cole was the first director of the Victoria museum and he termed it “a refuge for destitute collections”, followed by which, Sir Roy Strong, another director, during the 1900s termed it “an extremely capacious handbag”. A significant part of the museum then, was used as the National Gallery, having a separate entrance for visitors. The first collections at the Victoria & Albert museum are from South-east Asia, with collections from the East India Company’s Indian museum being transferred to this museum. During the course of its history, it was called by several different names including the South Kensington Museum, until in 1899, it was renamed to Victoria and Albert Museum. Designed by Aston Webb, the Queen of England had laid the foundation stones for the new buildings of this museum.

Home to decorative arts then, the museum got its popularity from the Great Exhibition of 1851, which led to developing interest amongst the public. Over the past century, the Victoria Museum has gone through several changes, both architecturally and collection-wise, updating itself to cater to the curious minds of travellers from all over the world. The museum also rebuilt the already existing exhibition space, specially the cast courts, which were built in the year 1873.

Collections Inside Victoria & Albert Museum

Beatrix Potter

A leading centre to learn about the life of Beatrix Potter, the Victoria & Albert Museum is home to the largest collection of her drawings, manuscripts and photographs in the entire world. Apart from her works in Tales, nursery rhymes and fairy tales, the collection takes you through some finest archival material as well. Some of the highlights include the Drawing of Water Lilies by Beatrix Potter in 1906, Duchess Walking Down a Leafy Path from 1902, the Lady Mouse Curtseys from 1903, Lady Rabbit and Gentleman Rabbit Passing on the Street from 1890, and so on.

Fashion In Motion

An exclusive series of fashion events at the Victoria & Albert museum, the Fashion in Motion is home to some exciting fashion exploration. With experiences such as modelling and catwalk, this collection brings forward some of the greatest designers around the world. You can indulge in observing various fashion art forms including some of the famous highlights such as Millinery in Motion from 2009, Gareth Pugh from 2017, Giles Deacon from 2009, Oswald Boateng from 2005, Christian Lacroix from 2006 and many more. Fashion in Motion is one the best collections to explore at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The V & A Story

Showcasing the extensive history of the Victoria & Albert museum, right from the laying of foundation by Queen Victoria in 1899, to its first construction which was done in 1852, the V & A story carries 5000 years of history. Some of the best collections to visit in the V & A story are the V & A refreshment rooms, the V&A Leighton corridor, the V&A Ceramic staircase and the V&A Exhibition Road Quarter. Other popular collections include the Cast courts, Daylit Gallery, John Madejski Garden and the Ceramics Galleries.

Enamels

Built by fusing glass to metals, the Enamels at the Victoria & Albert Museum are a representation of the unique enamel making techniques. This art is mostly practised around Europe, Britain and in Scandinavian countries, and the products usually made out of this art include portrait miniatures, gold boxes and jewellery. Some of the famous collections include Triptych by Master of Louis XII Triptych from 1498, the Habsburg-Rosenberg Cup from 1665, Portrait of Hortense Mancini by Jean Petitor Sr from 1675.

Know Before You Visit The Victoria & Albert Museum

Essential Information

How To Reach

Location:Located in South Kensington, the Victoria and Albert Museum is a part of the Museum Quarter in London. The museum is located at a close proximity to the Natural History museum and the science museum.

Address: Cromwell Road, London

Timings:The Victoria & Albert Museum is open from Monday to Sunday between 10 am in the morning, until 5:45 pm in the evening. On friday, the museum is open from 10 am in the morning until 10 pm in the night.

Best time to Visit:The best time to visit the Victoria and Albert Museum is during the early hours on weekends since the evenings are usually thronged with tourists. Otherwise, you can visit the museum during the afternoon hours or in the evening on weekdays.

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