Young V&A

Over het 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.

Hoogtepunten

• 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

Vaste collectie

• 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.

Opgericht

1872

Beheerder

Victoria and Albert Museum

Bezoekers per jaar

ca. 400.000

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

De toegang is gratis.

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.

Toegankelijkheid

• Rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

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.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Kinderwagenvriendelijk
• Verschoonruimte
• Speeltuin / speelhoek
• Kinderfeestjes: niet aanwezig

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.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

Bicycles can be left in front of the museum. The museum advises visitors to use public transport.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Restaurant: niet aanwezig
• Museumwinkel
• Kluisjes

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.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Privéfeesten
• Zakelijke evenementen
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

Tot 600 personen.

The museum can host up to 600 guests standing, 300 seated, or 250 seated with a dance floor.

Je bezoek plannen