Victoria and Albert Go East

The Victoria and Albert Museum has confirmed that the long‑anticipated V&A East will officially open its doors on April 18, 2026, in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Conceived as part of the East Bank cultural complex, the venue represents a legacy of the 2012 London Olympics and a major regeneration project for Stratford. 

The museum will span five stories and serve as a hub for global creativity, showcasing art, design, fashion, performance and architecture in a space designed to reflect the multicultural vibrancy of East London. The building has been designed by O’Donnell and Tuomey with interiors shaped by leading design studios to emphasize openness and accessibility. 

The permanent galleries will feature more than 500 objects from the V&A’s collections. Highlights include Leigh Bowery’s avant‑garde ballet costumes, Derek Jarman’s bold set model for Don Giovanniand a 17th‑century gown by Anna Maria Garthwaite, a pioneering textile designer in east London’s silk‑weaving district. The museum will also feature monumental works such as a sculpture by Thomas J. Price.

The inaugural temporary exhibition, “The Music is Black: A British Story,” will explore 125 years of Black music‑making in Britain, featuring Joan Armatrading’s childhood guitar, fashion worn by Little Simz and newly acquired photography by Jennie Baptiste and Dennis Morris. 

Eight new commissions by artists, including Tania Bruguera, Es Devlin and Carrie Mae will be featured throughout the museum and in the adjacent V&A East Storehouse.

Posted by: admin on November 8, 2025