V&A Museum Map
The V&A Museum has over seven miles of galleries. Visitors can explore them using a simple, intuitive graphical interface.
The map is free to use, but the museum also offers private set tours and bespoke events. This post looks at how the map design supports visitor needs, and how it is based on an iterative development process.
Collections
The collections at V&A South Kensington cover the whole spectrum of human creativity. This includes design, architecture, furniture, fashion, textiles, art and performance, books and archives, sculpture, jewellery, glass, ceramics, and Asian art. Research[177] is a key activity for the museum, helping to identify and interpret objects in the collection and develop the public’s understanding of them.
The museum holds the most comprehensive post-classical European sculpture collection in the world, covering a wide range of periods and styles, including tomb and memorial, portrait, allegorical, religious and mythological, as well as statues for fountains. There are also galleries devoted to the history of casting, plaster, electrotype, and photography.
The Costume collection is one of the largest in the world, with outfits and accessories from 16th century to the present day. In addition, there are sketches and design notebooks. The Textiles department has woven and embroidery fabrics, carpets and tapestries, including the Forest tapestry by Marion Dorn, and paper designs.
Exhibitions
Founded in 1852 and located on the South Kensington campus, the V&A is one of Britain’s most magnificent treasure houses. Its collections span over 5,000 years of human creativity and are housed in one of London’s finest groups of Victorian buildings. The museum’s extraordinary rooms and spaces offer exceptional possibilities for entertaining in a prestigious central London location.
The V&A’s sculpture collection is among the largest in the world and covers a period from antiquity to 1914. It includes portrait, allegorical, religious and mythical statues and carvings as well as fountains and architectural decorations.
The collections are divided into sixteen departments, although not all of them are displayed at any one time. The museum also holds many objects in storage and at other annex institutions, and lends exhibits to other museums. The museum is also a major publisher of books about art and design. In 2024 the museum will open its East Bank, a powerhouse of culture, education and innovation in the heart of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Education
The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art and design with a collection covering more than 5,000 years of human creativity. The museum is home to the UK’s national collections of architecture, fashion, furniture, textiles, jewellery, metalwork, ceramics, glass, book arts and Asian art.
The museum also houses a collection of musical instruments and has one of the largest libraries in the UK. The museum offers a range of education opportunities, including school visits and family activities. The museum also hosts a variety of lectures and events.
In addition to the gallery exhibitions, the museum also offers a number of free and paid tours. The museum offers both set and bespoke tours, many of which are focused on specific topics such as “Female Voices” or “Highlights of the V&A”. The museum also has a children’s page that provides treasure hunts and other activities. The museum also offers a variety of audio guides.
Events
The V&A’s extraordinary rooms and spaces offer many possibilities for entertaining in a unique central London location. Whether you are hosting drinks receptions, gala dinners or awards evenings, there is something to suit every occasion.
The Dome space, with high ceilings and classical architecture is one of the most impressive venues for events in London. It has a capacity of up to 600 guests for a drinks reception or 450 for dinner. The Dorothy and Michael Hintze Sculpture Galleries can be used alongside the Dome or as a stand alone event space. This room showcases some of the museum’s finest sculptures and has traditional black and white mosaic flooring.
The V&A’s family of museums includes V&A Museum South Kensington, the V&A Wedgwood Collection in Staffordshire, and V&A Dundee in Scotland. Each venue has its own distinct collections and exhibits. The museum also hosts a variety of educational events including lectures and workshops. These events are usually free to attend, although some special exhibits may have an entry fee.