Young V&A
Free V&A museum in Bethnal Green for children, young people and families, with three galleries called Play, Imagine and Design.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum opened in 1872 as the Bethnal Green Museum. Its iron structure was a prefabricated building first put up in South Kensington in 1856–7 and then moved east to make room for the growing V&A complex. The brick exterior, with mosaic panels along the long sides, was designed by James William Wild. Over the decades the building showed collections of food, animal products and art, and after the First World War it was remodelled as an art museum with a children's section that kept growing.
In 1974 it was re-displayed as the Museum of Childhood, a specialist museum for toys, childhood equipment and children's clothing. It closed in 2003 for work on the roof, new displays, a learning centre and a new entrance by Caruso St John Architects, and reopened in 2006.
A further transformation began in 2019 and the museum reopened on 1 July 2023 as Young V&A. Its mission is to let everyone, especially the young, explore the designed world, in particular objects made for and by children. The building is Grade II* listed, and Young V&A won the Art Fund Museum of the Year prize in 2024.
Highlights
- Play gallery with toys, building blocks, a marble run and an arcade of video games
- Imagine gallery with dolls' houses, costumes to try on and a self-portrait studio
- Design gallery with a mini skatepark and touch objects
- Large collection of objects made for and by children
- Free admission and a Victorian iron-framed building
Permanent exhibitions
- Play gallery – A gallery of toys and games with hands-on displays such as an arcade of video games, building blocks, a marble run and reading nooks.
- Imagine gallery – A gallery about stories and make-believe, with a stage with costumes, a playable dolls' house and a self-portrait studio.
- Design gallery – A gallery about how everyday things are designed, with touch screens, objects to handle and a mini skatepark.
- Founded
- 1872
- Operated by
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Visitors per year
- approx. 400,000
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Disabled visitors get discounted tickets for temporary exhibitions, and a free companion or carer ticket can be added to every disabled ticket. |
|---|
General admission is free and does not need to be booked. Some temporary exhibitions carry an entrance charge. V&A members visit exhibitions free, with up to four under-16s.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The entrance is step-free and all public areas can be reached without steps. There are lifts on the right as visitors enter the Town Square and at the back of the Imagine Gallery, and the Play Gallery is reached by a ramp. Wheelchairs and ear defenders can be borrowed, ideally booked online at least 24 hours ahead. Accessible toilets on the lower ground floor include an Assisted Accessible Toilet with a ceiling track hoist and a paediatric changing table; a RADAR key is available from the Community Room. Induction loops are fitted at the Welcome Desk, at most interactive displays and in event spaces. Large print guides, subtitled films, portable stools, sensory design bags, tactile books and a quiet Reading Room are available, and a visual story is published. Assistance dogs are welcome. The nearest Blue Badge bays are on Parmiter Street.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
- Kids’ birthday parties: not available
The museum is designed for children, young people and families, with drop-in play sessions, family workshops and SEND Play sessions listed on the What's On page. The galleries have many things to touch and try, including building blocks, a marble run, video games, costumes and a mini skatepark. Three sensory design bags with activity trails can be borrowed from the Community Room. A buggy park is next to the main entrance, baby changing facilities are in the toilets on the lower ground floor, and breastfeeding is welcome everywhere. Birthday parties are not hosted.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bethnal Green station · 2-min walk
Bethnal Green Underground station is a 2-minute walk and Cambridge Heath Overground station a 5-minute walk. The nearest step-free station is Whitechapel, an 18-minute walk. Buses 106, 254, 388 and D6 stop nearby, and a cycle hire station is close by.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
Parking for cars nearby is limited and cannot be booked in advance. The nearest accessible parking is on Parmiter Street, about 0.2 miles away, with two Blue Badge bays.
- Accessible parking
Bicycles can be left in front of the museum. The museum advises visitors to use public transport.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
- Lockers
The Town Square Café is open 10:00 to 17:00 daily with hot and cold meals, cakes and drinks, a children's lunchtime meal box, highchairs and bottle warming; alcohol is not allowed on site. Visitors may bring cold food and drink and eat in the Town Square or the Museum Gardens. The main shop is on the ground floor. There are 24 free lockers on the lower ground floor, and bags larger than 56 × 45 × 21 cm or with wheels are not allowed in the galleries.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
- Weddings / ceremonies
Up to 600 guests.
The museum can host up to 600 guests standing, 300 seated, or 250 seated with a dance floor.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| School programs | yes |
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| Photography | Photography and filming for personal, non-commercial use are allowed with hand-held cameras and phones; tripods, selfie sticks, drones and flashes are not allowed, and visitors may only photograph their own children. |
| Good to know | Children must be supervised by an adult at all times. Children aged 14 and under may wear costumes if their faces are not covered; older visitors may not. Helium balloons are not allowed. Self-guided school visits and workshops can be booked. |
