V&A MUSEUM ULTIMATE GUIDE

Open: Sat-Thur: 10:00AM to 5:45PM

Fri: 10:00AM to 10:00PM

Time Needed: 2.5 hours

Price: Free

With nearly seven miles of galleries in several different buildings, and over 2.3 million objects covering 5,000 years of fascinating history, to say that the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) covers it all is an understatement.

Not only is the V&A Museum the largest museum of both decorative and applied arts in the world, it’s also the world’s leading museum of art and design, and houses a variety of items which range from architecture, ceramics, art and furniture, to fashion, sculptures, jewellery and even theatre and performance.

When the museum was founded in 1852 it was originally known as the South Kensington Museum, but was eventually renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1899 thanks to Queen Victoria’s relentless efforts in expanding the museum into what it is today.

But the Victoria and Albert Museum isn’t just a museum. It’s an ever-evolving and constantly changing venue, where visitors can not only learn more about the history of the world through its millions of objects, but also expand their own skills as well.

Not only is it home to millions of objects, artefacts and paintings, the museum also hosts free talks and tours by experts, family and membership events, and even courses and classes on a wide range of topics and subjects. There are also a variety of workshops held at the museum throughout the year, which focus on everything from modern calligraphy to book illustration.

V&A Museum Highlights

The collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum are separated into different categories which focus on different areas of the world (South Asia, the Islamic Middle East, Europe from 1600-1815 and Japan), or specific areas of interest such as architecture, jewellery, glass, ceramics, paintings, photographs, textiles and theatre and performance.

Some of the most notable items and/or exhibitions held at the Victoria and Albert Museum include:

• Tipu’s Tiger (a wooden model of a tiger with a mechanical organ that dates back to the 1790s)
• The entire jewellery section (which is home to over 3,000 jewels dating from ancient times to the modern era)
• An Ox’s Head sculpture (which was sculpted in Italy during the 17th century)
• A cameo portrait of Elizabeth I (dating from between 1575-1580)
• The earliest known photograph of London (circa 1839)
• Elton John’s spectacles
• The Great Bed of Ware by Hans Vredeman de Vries (a 1590s carved oak bed which was mentioned by William Shakespeare in Twelfth Night)
• A unicorn tapestry (dating back to the 1500s in Flanders)
• Raphael’s Cartoons (a series of tapestries which were commissioned by Pope Leo X, circa 1515)
• A plaster cast of Michelangelo’s David

There are also a variety of temporary exhibitions held at the V&A Museum throughout the year, so make sure you check the official website before you visit in case there is anything that interests you.

Special Tips

Make sure your flash is off on your camera at all times when taking photos of objects in the museum.

Weekends tend to be more crowded, so if you want to avoid the crowds try to visit during a weekday, or late on a Friday.

If you want to join in on the Late Night Fridays festivities, try to arrive as early as possible as the events are on a strict “first come first serve” basis.

If you want to check out some other museums and/or landmarks and save money on transportation costs, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum are both only a one-minute walk away, and Hyde Park is an eight-minute walk away.

Getting There

Address: Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2RL, United Kingdom.

On Foot: If you are travelling on foot, the main entrance to the V&A Museum is located on Cromwell Road.

By Tube: If you are travelling by tube, the nearest stations is South Kensington, which is a four-minute walk away.

By Train: If you are travelling by train, the nearest station is Victoria, which is a 28-minute walk away.

By Bus: If you are travelling by bus, routes C1, 14, 74 and 414 all stop at the Cromwell Road entrance.

By Coach: If you are travelling by coach, there are coach parking bays located on Victoria Embankment and The Strand.

By Car: If you are travelling by car, the nearest pay and display bays are on Prince Consort Road and Queen's Gate.

Ticket prices and Opening hours

The Victoria & Albert Museum is open every day (except December 24th, 25th and 26th) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., and stays open until 10:00 p.m. on Fridays. All the exhibitions will close 15 minutes before closing times each day.

Be aware that there are some exhibitions that may have an entrance fee.

If you want to become a V&A Member, which includes free entry to all the exhibitions, a membership costs £77 for adults and £50 for anyone under the age of 26.

You can purchase your membership online before you visit, and collect your Membership Card from the Members’ Desk in the museum.

If you’re interested in a general introduction to the museum, the Highlights of the V&A free tour, led by volunteer guides, departs several times a day from the meeting point at the Cromwell Road entrance. If you prefer to learn more about a specific gallery or theme, there are numerous free tours focusing on various topics, from African heritage to remarkable women, LGBTQ+ history, and much more. It's recommended to check the calendar to see what's available on the day of your visit.

Every last Friday of the month (except January, May, and December), there are late programs for adults from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Activities include live music, movies, lectures, talks, dancing, and even fashion shows. More information can be found on the V&A official website.

Visiting the Victoria & Albert Museum? Also check out the many free tours of London that depart every day.