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Exhibitions, displays, courses – plus events for V&A Members. See What's on at the V&A venues, and online, See 200 curated pieces from the David Bowie archive. To delve deeper, book one-on-one time with the collection via our free Order an Object service. Part of V&A East Storehouse, Hackney Wick. FAQs: find out more about access and booking objects , Celebrate the innovative printmaking techniques and bold visions of 25 women printmakers from 1900 – Now. From Käthe Kollwitz to Faith Ringgold, explore the work of artists who have used print to make their own lasting impression. , A display of the works of Ciara Neufeldt, Jess Starns and Michael Akuagwu. The display explores each artist’s creative journey, their connections with different communities and how their experiences at the V&A changed their ways of working. , Urushi (lacquer) has been used in Japan for over 7,000 years. For centuries, lacquer-making techniques developed locally while reflecting cross-cultural influences from Asia. This display highlights the diversity of 21st-century artistic expression., Featuring around 50 ‘lost’ performance spaces from the 1980s to 2010s, this display celebrates music venues as centres of creativity, shining a light on both their cultural contribution and the challenges they face as a sector., The V&A's collection of photography from the United States – one of the largest outside North America – reveals the breadth of the country's photographic traditions and the central role of image-making in American life., In the 1980s, Chinese artists began to reimagine craft as a medium for artistic expression. This display explores the dimensions of studio craft practice in China today, and the innovations which have grown from China's longstanding craft tradition., British Indian artist Bharti Kher is internationally recognised for her sculptures which explore the body, womanhood, mythology and cultural identity. This display brings her work into conversation with the V&A’s historic collections., This display considers how photography and poetry can create new meanings when paired in the pages of books. Selected by collector and photopoetry advocate David Solo, the books are available for visitors to handle, read and enjoy., New Work is our creative commissions programme. Twice yearly, artists create work in response to a theme, exploring how art and design intersect with daily life. Our first theme, Making East London, reflects on the area’s past and possible futures., After Hours offers grown-up-only exploration of Young V&A's interactive galleries and Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends in a relaxed, kid-free atmosphere. Free drop‑in activities in the cafe, with music, food & bar through the evening., Visit the V&A South Kensington with the whole family this summer for activities and performances inspired by crafting, building and the materials that shape our world., Sensory theatre Oily Cart are creating a new playspace and would love your family to shape their ideas. These relaxed, self-led play sessions invite families to tune into their senses and each other. There are no right ways to play, just your ways., Led by Jacqueline Springer, Lead Curator of The Music Is Black: A British Story (TMIB), this opening session explores the exhibition as a celebration of over 12 decades of Black music-making in Britain and the creativity, resilience and joy embedded within it. Through key objects, sounds and stories, Jacqueline will introduce the exhibition’s central themes, tracing how Black British music has shaped cultural life across generations and transformed the nation’s artistic landscape. Jacqueline expands this narrative through four acts, and eight music genres by examining the communities, movements, music-makers, and exchanges, that nurtured genres ranging from lovers rock and 2 tone, to jungle, grime and beyond. Rather than presenting music as entertainment alone, the exhibition reveals it as a powerful force for identity, belonging and collective expression. Through this lens, you are invited to consider Black music as both a record of lived experience and a source of imagination, innovation, design, and joy, before encountering the exhibition itself. Liming Chronicles - Listening to Your Photographs (1960–2000) Following your visit to TMIB exhibition, you will join this immersive gathering exploring photographs as living carriers of sound, memory, and cultural knowledge. Through listening, conversation, and shared reflection, you will consider what photographs can reveal beyond the visual: the music, voices, stories, and social worlds they contain. Drawing on the experiences of African and Caribbean communities in Britain, the session revisits the record shops, blues dances, clubs, sound clashes, homes, and streets where friendships were forged, identities affirmed, and joy made visible. Together, we will explore how everyday acts of gathering, listening, and storytelling shaped cultural life between 1960 and 2000. Using the photographs you bring to the session as prompts, including those featured in the exhibition and in the V&A collections, you are invited to share memories, make connections across generations, and reflect on the power of Black music, creativity, and community. Discover how stories of our sounds continue to resonate as archives of resilience, belonging, cultural pride, and Black joy. It is advisable to bring a packed lunch. Beverages are available at the E5 Bakery Cafe Please note, that you will be walking and standing for extended periods of time in TMIB exhibition – a limited number of museum chairs will be available on the day. joy is an act of resistance….Poet Toi Derricotte.   Black joy is a powerful force. It helps us through difficult times and gives us the confidence to speak with one voice. Choosing joy is an act of resilience. Through Black joy, we honour our history, culture, and community. We come together to share, listen, and support one another, especially in spaces where we do not always feel welcome. Black joy is more than a feeling, it nurtures emotional well-being and renews the spirit.  Janet Browne, Senior Producer Africa and Diaspora. A detailed programme will follow soon. This event is part of the wider celebration of The Music Is Black: A British Story Exhibition. In collaboration with the Black Gallery Visitor Network (UK).   , In March 2024 the trio were interviewed for the publication that accompanies V&A East museum’s inaugural exhibition, The Music is Black: A British Story. What they shared about growing up in Britain, finding and navigating their adolescent musical identities and pursuing professional ambitions formed the book’s drum & bass chapter – as well as the genre itself.  Fabio & Grooverider and DJ Storm will return to their published memories for a night of reminiscence and celebration of realised ambitions. Joining them in conversation will be V&A Curator and The Music is Black: A British Story Curator, Jacqueline Springer. Fabio, Grooverider and DJ Storm will be signing copies of The Music is Black: A British Story Catalogue after the event. , In March 2024 the trio were interviewed for the publication that accompanies V&A East museum’s inaugural exhibition, The Music is Black: A British Story. What they shared about growing up in Britain, finding and navigating their adolescent musical identities and pursuing professional ambitions formed the book’s drum & bass chapter – as well as the genre itself.  Fabio & Grooverider and DJ Storm will return to their published memories for a night of reminiscence and celebration of realised ambitions. Joining them in conversation will be V&A Curator and The Music is Black Curator, Jacqueline Springer.  Fabio, Grooverider and DJ Storm will be signing copies of The Music is Black Catalogue after the event.  This talk will be held on Zoom, and ticket holders will receive a link to view live on the morning of the event. The talk will also be recorded, and available to view for ticketholders after the event., Dive into the beauty and history of pearls, exploring their origins and cultural significance with globally renowned jewellery historian Beatriz Chadour-Sampson. Learn the difference between varieties of natural and cultured pearls, and discover the art of pearl grading with exclusive contributions from Mikimoto. You will also discover how pearls have been incorporated into jewellery through the centuries, with exquisite examples from the V&A's collections and from museums around the world. From the moment you enrol on a V&A on-demand course, you get 12 months' access to every stunning video lecture to rewatch as often as you like, plus plenty of additional learning materials, yours to keep. Find out more:  https://www.vandacourses.com/faqs Already purchased the course? Sign back in to access it. ,  Fashion shows are huge, mediated spectacles, society events, and social statements. From the private fashion parades of the late nineteenth century to today’s live-streamed experiences, A History of the Catwalk presents iconic examples by fashion houses ranging from Balenciaga, Chanel, and Dior to Alexander McQueen, Martin Margiela, Prada, Vivienne Westwood and Mary Quant. Film clips and photographs, original couture creations and stage props create a vivid picture of more than one hundred years of catwalk history. From Sixties subcultures to Punk to fashion in a digital age, fashion shows emerge as complex works of art that engage with the human form, myths and ideals, realities and social change.    This course is presented alongside Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show exhibition at V&A Dundee  3 April 2026 until 17 January 2027. From the moment you enrol on a V&A on-demand course, you get 12 months' access to every stunning video lecture to rewatch as often as you like, plus plenty of additional learning materials, yours to keep. Find out more:  https://www.vandacourses.com/faqs Already purchased the course? Sign back in to access it. , Thinking about an online course? Try this free one-hour art history lecture recording that you can enjoy when it suits you best.  Join V&A Academy course leader Caroline Knight for this taster lecture, to discover more about architecture in the Tudor period. Explore royal palaces and country houses, from Hampton Court and Nonsuch Palace, to Hardwick Hall. You’ll learn about the innovations of the period, and continental influences on Tudor design, uncovering court life through an architectural lens. If you enjoyed this taster lecture, discover more with Caroline Knight on our 5-week online course The Georgians: Art and Architecture. Join this Autumn, with live lectures starting on Monday 5 October 2026. To book, simply sign up to the V&A Academy newsletter by clicking here or 'book now'. You will receive the viewing link in your welcome email within 24 hours to enjoy access to the recording for a limited time. Click here to find out more about the V&A Academy and discover courses and events, both online and in-person. Got questions? Get in touch via courses@vam.ac.uk., This course takes you on a  journey through some of the most iconic paintings in history. Learn how to analyse a painting’s composition, understand symbolism and read the techniques artists use to convey messages. Whether you're an art enthusiast or a newcomer, this online art history course will enhance your appreciation and understanding of visual art, drawing on examples from the V&A's outstanding collection. From the moment you enrol on a V&A on-demand course, you get 12 months' access to every stunning video lecture to rewatch as often as you like, plus additional learning materials, yours to keep. Find out more:  https://www.vandacourses.com/faqs Already purchased the course? Sign back in to access it. , Step into the intricate world of English embroidery, where centuries-old techniques and modern styles combine to create beautiful art. This course covers embroidery styles from the Medieval period through to William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement, with historical insights and a closer look at outstanding examples in the V&A collections. From the moment you enrol on a V&A on-demand course, you get 12 months' access to every stunning video lecture to rewatch as often as you like, plus plenty of additional learning materials, yours to keep. Find out more:  https://www.vandacourses.com/faqs Already purchased the course? Sign back in to access it. , This display explores some of today’s most pressing issues through diverse approaches to contemporary image-making. Delving particularly into themes of craft and ecology, the display includes two major new commissions by Jonathas de Andrade and Mari Katayama alongside works by Ana Teresa Barboza, Carlos Garaicoa, Dionne Lee, Frida Orupabo, Traces of Nitrate (Ignacio Acosta, Louise Purbrick and Xavier Ribas), Ilanit Illouz, Mónica Alcazar Duarte, Paz Errázuriz, Sheida Soleimani, Theo Simpson, Yan Wang Preston, Yuki Tawada and Fuku Fukumoto., At a time of climate emergency, architecture practice dRMM and its partners in manufacturing and science consider how wood from UK forests could transform local production. This display presents the pioneering new products that emerged from the research, and demonstrates the potential of this underused resource.   dRMM: Building from Forests follows a three-year research project by the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE), Edinburgh Napier University, Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST) and EcoSystems Technologies, commissioned by the Forestry Commission England.   The display forms part of the fifth iteration of Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures, a ten-year programme supported by John Makepeace OBE., The National Art Library will open at 11.30 and 14.00 each Monday (except for bank holidays) for a member of Library or Archives staff to introduce the history and purpose of the Library and to talk about an item from our collections. There is no need to book, but simply arrive at the main entrance to the NAL on the First Floor just before the session begins. We’re keen to share our enthusiasm for some of the most beautiful, historic, puzzling or downright unusual items in our care. There’ll be ample opportunity to get up close to the item and ask questions. The sessions will run for around 15-20 minutes. We won’t be advertising the item to feature in advance - we’re aiming for an air of mystery and discovery! We want all visitors to feel welcome in the Library space, and to enjoy the books, archives, manuscripts, pamphlets, magazines and more which we curate on behalf of the nation., The National Art Library will open at 11.30 and 14.00 each Monday (except for bank holidays) and a member of Library or Archives staff will introduce the history and purpose of the Library and to talk about an item from our collections.  We’re keen to share our enthusiasm for some of the most beautiful, historic, puzzling or downright unusual items in our care. There’ll be ample opportunity to get up close to the item and ask questions. The sessions will run for around 15-20 minutes. There is no need to book, but simply arrive at the main entrance to the NAL on the First Floor just before the session begins. We won’t be advertising the item to feature in advance - we’re aiming for an air of mystery and discovery! We want all visitors to feel welcome in the Library space, and to enjoy the books, archives, manuscripts, pamphlets, magazines and more which we curate on behalf of the nation., Contemporary metalworking is a dynamic field and today’s metalsmiths continue a long tradition of experimentation in a range of metals to create exciting and innovative work. This display highlights a selection of work by metalsmiths from across the world that have been collected by the museum since 2010. , The Mexican artist Julieta Gil questions who national heritage is really for, how it is constructed, and why the past continues to be memorialised today. Through her work, she looks at public space in its many forms, from streets and monuments to digital and archival spaces.   For this project, Gil used photogrammetry – a scanning process that stitches together still photographs to create a three-dimensional model – to document historical sites and monuments in her hometown of Mexico City. She chose places where imposed versions of history are disrupted by shared acts of remembering, highlighting the tension between the polished symbolism of public monuments and the violence embedded in their pasts.   The material agility of these scans reflects how Gil uses technology as a tool for critical enquiry. Presented as video pieces, photographs and digital 3D models, they also challenge traditional ideas of objects and displays, particularly within museum settings. , To make way for the development of 2012 Olympic Games in London, 284 trades and businesses from the Lea Valley between Stratford and Hackney Wick had to be re-located. Recognizing that a vast swathe of East London working history was about to be lost, photographers Marion Davies and Debra Rapp, set about systematically documenting these spaces. From 2005 to 2007, they had amassed a large archive of images of 80 businesses – from belt-making, zinc galvanising, and salmon smoking – and the landscape surrounding them. Looking at these images today is a potent reminder of the industrial and working-class history of the area in which V&A East now resides. The gradual erasure of spaces like these, dedicated to a rich array of industry and craft – a trend seen in many cities around the world – prompts the urgent question: How can we work to revive industries and cultures of making, while supporting new creative practices to emerge across our cities and communities? All colour photographs by Debra Rapp. All black and white photographs by Marion Davies. Dispersal was made in collaboration with Juliet Davis., In this game, set within a reconstruction of V&A East Storehouse’s conservation studio, players search for fragments of a model of ArcelorMittal Orbit, the public sculpture created for the Olympic Park. Artist Lawrence Lek’s videogame blends everyday environments with futuristic scenarios, to reflect on contemporary working conditions. Playing as a ‘carebot’ called Guanyin – named after the Buddhist goddess of compassion – visitors can access staff-only areas of V&A East Storehouse. As players gather clues about their job, the boundaries between labour and play begin to blur.  Lek’s work raises questions about the role of virtual worlds in preserving physical monuments and objects. , ‘The lumper, the lurker, the baker, the weaver, the spinner, the sampler, the spark… ’ is the opening line of artist Laura Wilson’s poem, inscribed into three sculptures honouring east London’s workers and makers. The work is activated by the V&A East team with the call “Heads!” Raised and lowered by a fly system, like those used in docks and theatres, the movement reflects shift patterns and the nearby tidal flows of the River Thames. Wilson’s artwork is informed by her research into east London theatres, factories, docks and women’s workwear. You can see these objects on display at V&A East Storehouse on Level 2.  The sculpture will be lowered at different times of the day, daily, by V&A East's team, and visitors will have the opportunity to read the poem on the Upper Ground floor. Please click here to listen to an audio recording of Laura Wilson reading the poem Heads! Look to the Workers, which is inscribed into her sculpture. The recording was made in February 2026 along the bank of the River Thames in East London, near Wilson's Bow Arts Trust studio at Royal Albert Wharf. With thanks to everyone who helped along the way: Franck Bordese, Severina Dico-Young, Susan Doe, Rob Field, Georgia Gough, Anthony Gouldbourne, Jefford Horrigan, Brendan McMullan, Emma-Kate Matthews, Charlie Noon, Adrian Phillips, Martin O’Campo, Caroline Stevenson, Rosie Strickland, Alan Whiting, Jo Wright and Polly Wright, Andrew, Vilija and everyone at JD McDougall, Dom Fraser, Old Vic, Michael Ste-Croix and Luke Cunningham, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, Benji Bailes and Dan Light, Bailes+Light, Jason Elsey, Momart, London Metropolitan Archives, OMNI, Sophie Hill, Leah Jun Oh, Amelia Maltby, João Guarantani and all at Bow Arts Trust and Royal Albert Wharf Studios, Clare Crill and Gerald Mason, Tate & Lyle, Joanna Norman, Claudia Heidebluth, Shoshanna Isaacson, VARI V&A, V&A East Youth Collective (Javier Cornejo; Joshua Dickinson; Ceylan Ismail; Maya Lewis; Shai Mitchell; Shaquan Nurse; Aniya Pramanik), Miri Ahn, Richard Boston, Gus Casley-Hayford, Rhea Chandratreya, Brendan Cormier, Sylvia Empsom, Matthew Fancy, Madeleine Haddon, Karen Hart, Georgia Haseldine, Kat Healey, Chris Larner, Laura Parker, Tim Reeve, Rubén Salgado Pérez, Kristian Volsing and all the staff and volunteers at V&A East. A pin badge has been produced and given to everyone involved as an acknowledgement of their labour. Research supported by Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Bow Arts Trust.  , Artist Rene Matić asks: ‘Can an image be heard?  How do the records we carry with us — songs, movements, basslines — define us?’ In this sculpture, Matić brings together photographs taken across east London, the wider city, Plymouth and Peterborough, evidencing how the love of friends and family is expressed through music and movement. Their photographs trace Black British music as a connective tissue through which communities across Britain gather, remember and move together.  Matić assembled these images into the shape of a sound system, a Jamaican cultural legacy brought to the UK through the migration of the Windrush Generation. In this form, the photographs coalesce like sounds echoing from a sound system. Commissioned with the support of The V&A Parasol Foundation Women in Photography Project, Artist Shahed Saleem asks ‘How do ideas of ethnic and cultural purity, prevalent at the time the Torrijos ceiling was created, continue to echo in our language and politics today?’   The Torrijos ceiling at V&A East Storehouse was made in the late 1400s, a period that saw the rise of Spain’s colonial empire and the replacement of centuries of multi-cultural exchange with a monarchy that prioritised religious and ethnic purity.    The tapestries in this gallery question how anti-immigration policies and language draw on longer histories of exclusion. The first tapestry, Queen’s Market, celebrates the diversity, creativity and commerce of Newham’s Queens Market. The second tapestry, Home Office, references the Home Office vans that circulated east London in 2013 encouraging self-deportation. The third tapestry, For God and Gold, combines political references from late fifteenth-century Spain with racialised struggles in east London. , ‘Like Natalia Goncharova, many of us consider ourselves ‘everythingists':  centaurs: human animals dancing with our machine shadows’  -Es Devlin                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Commissioned to respond to Natalia Goncharova's 1926 painted backcloth for the Ballets Russes production of The Firebird, artist Es Devlin has drawn and painted this shadow dance within the movements of east London based dancer Joshua Shanny-Wynter, suspended between enlarged iPhone boxes that echo the architecture of Igor Stravinsky’s The Firebird score and V&A East Storehouse storage crates. Over a soundtrack by Polyphonia, rooted in The Firebird’s horn theme, Devlin reads Natalia Goncharova’s techno-optimistic 1913 manifesto, Cory Doctorow’s 2026 reflections on centaurs and reverse centaurs in animatronics, the 1958 poem Centaur by Clark Ashton Smith, and Adrienne Rich’s 1971 poem Centaur’s Requiem.   The term ‘everythingism’ was used to describe Goncharova’s painting, theatre design and performance art. It can also be applied to Devlin’s own practice encompassing sculpture, music, performance design, poetry and painting Goncharova’s 15m wide painted backdrop was made for Diaghilev’s 1926 production of The Firebird, choreographed by Mikhail Fokine and composed by Igor Stravinsky in 1910. Wynter’s movements were choreographed by East London based choreographer Botis Seva. Every 90 seconds the artwork is animated by illumination and underscored by Devlin’s voice reading a series of texts over a soundtrack composed by Polyphonia. Stravinsky's horn theme was conceived to signify the lifting of the sorcerer Koschei’s curse, the return of light and life, transcendence after chaos. It was based on a traditional folk song found in a collection by Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov.     LOCATION AND DATE:  London 2025–26   MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES: Painted and printed plywood, sound  Fabrication by Scena Sound by Polyphonia With special thanks to the V&A East Collective Community for their generous feedback, What does it mean for a museum to arrive in a place shaped by layered histories? How might an institution listen before it speaks? Developed through conversations between artist Tania Bruguera and young people from east London, this work takes the form of a statement of shared principles. Stained glass — traditionally associated with permanence and authority — is reframed as a fragile and transparent medium, reminding us that institutions are shaped by trust and collective responsibility.  The composition draws on Walthamstow-born artist William Morris’s designs, reimagined through the lens of the many cultural traditions that reflect east London’s global population. The names of all participants appear on the glass as seeds, marking the possibility of common ground nurtured over time.    Created with the V&A East Youth Collective and realised by Richard Paton at Rainbow Glass Studio. Read more about Towards a Civic Museum here: Towards a Civic Museum • V&A Blog Text on the stained glass: We want V&A East to be more than a destination. We want a civic museum. Where transparency, advocacy, generosity, equity, accountability, sustainability and collaboration are not empty slogans, but the way we exist within the institution. A civic museum does not only resemble the community, but belongs to the community. It does not speak in the name of others. It gives the floor to those who live outside its walls. A civic museum recognises local knowledge as expertise and gives credit for its use. A civic museum is interested not only in our production of knowledge, but provides meaningful opportunities to drive and care about our conditions of life. A civic museum resists urban displacement and alienation. A civic museum prioritises people over investments. In a civic museum, each member of the community is accepted in all their complex uniqueness and intersectional identities, never forced into a generic group. A civic museum designs its programmes with the community instead of for the community. A civic museum re-examines itself, questions its own goals and remains accountable over time. A civic museum is not here to save anyone, but it is a place where everyone feels safe. This is the museum we are ready to build together, because the true legacy of V&A East will be the impact it has on the local community., Sun Artists (1889–91) was an innovative but short-lived publication that promoted photography as an art form. Each issue focused on one British photographer and presented four of their best works as finely crafted photogravure prints. An accompanying essay helped further the artistic claims for the medium.  The high-quality printing and design also served to elevate the photographs. Subscribers could enjoy the reproductions as standalone prints or bind them together for their libraries. Sun Artists ceased publication after just eight issues, perhaps due to the high cost of producing such a deluxe periodical. Yet it set a precedent for later publications, such as Alfred Stieglitz's Camera Work< (1903–17). This display includes all eight featured photographers, including Julia Margaret Cameron, a pioneer of artistic photography, and Eveleen Myers, who had been taking photographs for just three years at the time of publication. You'll find this display in Room 98 of the Photography Centre, in the Kusuma Gallery. This gallery is dedicated to theme of Photography and the Book and explores how books have been fundamental to photography since the 1840s. Surrounding the display you'll find the library of the Royal Photographic Society collection alongside the current browsing library display. Photographers include: Julia Margaret Cameron, Joseph Gale, Eveleen Myers, Henry Peach Robinson, Lyddell Sawyer, Frank Meadow Sutcliffe, J. B. B. Wellington and Benjamin Gay Wilkinson. Supported by The Bern Schwartz Family Foundation, Co-curated by east London photographer Tom Hunter and the V&A East Youth Collective (2023-24), this display takes a deep dive into Tom’s relationship with east London, first and foremost, as his home for over 40 years and as the setting, subject and inspiration for his work. The display draws from the V&A’s collections and Tom’s personal archive to explore east London as a place of radical thinking and resilience, and to reflect on the role of photography as a tool for documenting underrepresented communities. Objects range from the cut-and-paste graphics of Peter Kennard, Jamie Reid (for the Sex Pistols) and Gee Vaucher (for Crass) to posters and ephemera from local events like the first ‘Carnival Against the Nazis’ in Victoria Park in 1978 (designed by David King) and campaigns like the M11 Link Road protests in the 1990s.  Contemplating his own route into photography, through documenting his squatting community in east London, Tom’s selections also include the work of photographers such as Dorothea Lange and Paul Trevor for the Half Moon Photography Workshop. Each year, X Selects invites two creative practitioners (artists, designers, collectives) to delve into the V&A’s collections and develop their own capsule display in the Why We Make galleries at V&A East Museum. The inaugural displays respond to the V&A East season theme of ‘Making East London.’  , In 1932, Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud founded the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. During his reign, King Abdulaziz followed the long-standing Islamic tradition of rulers presenting fine garments as gifts, including to foreign visitors. He gave the colourful and voluminous thobes (outer dresses) featured in this display to the daughter of the British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia in 1942 and 1952. The dresses are all embellished with metal-wrapped thread, adding a golden shimmer. A short film has been made to accompany the display.  Watch to learn more about the 1940s Bridal Thobes in the V&A collection: Traditional Saudi Arabian Dress Explained | 1940s Bridal Thobes This display is part of the V&A’s Jameel Programme, celebrating 20 years of The Jameel Gallery with Community Jameel., The V&A Illustration Awards is a free, biennial competition celebrating excellence in illustration and contemporary practice, and judged by a panel of prominent illustrators and industry experts. The awards highlight a broad range of illustration styles and subjects. This display features the work of this year's winners and runners-up from each of the five categories: Adult Factual, Adult Fiction, Advertising and Commercial, Emerging Illustrator and Illustration for Children. The Awards are generously supported by The Linder Foundation and the Moira Gemmill Memorial fund., Sensory theatre pioneers Oily Cart are creating a new playspace and would love your family to help shape their ideas.  What does a texture sound like? How do colours feel? In the SideWays World there are more than five senses, and the fun begins when you mix them up. Side-by-side(ways), children and grown-ups will explore an accessible, immersive sensory landscape, where everything’s sort of the same… but a little bit more. These relaxed, self-led play-testing sessions invite families to tune into their senses and each other. There are no right ways to play, just your ways.  The Wednesday sessions are designed for children with additional needs who enjoy a quieter, calmer experience, and their families. There'll be a chance to share your thoughts and ideas at the end of the session. This activity is part of Power of Play, a project funded and led by LEGO Group in London, delivered by partners including Young V&A, to bring quality learning-through-play to children in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.  Booking information: · One booking includes up to the three people: a child with additional needs accompanied by a responsible adult, plus another child or adult. ·       Each session lasts for 45 minutes. ·       Sessions are at 11am, 1pm and 3.30pm. ·       This event is free, but requires booking.  ·       Children will be supported to enter and leave at a pace that suits them.  ·       The Wednesday sessions are designed for children with additional needs who may seek a gentler energy.   ·       There are free, bookable sessions for children with additional needs  who would prefer a higher energy environment on Thursdays and you can see booking details here: SideWays Play for children with additional needs (high energy sessions) - Drop-in at Young V&A · V&A ·       There are drop-in sessions on Fridays for children under 5 and their families and you can see details here: SideWays Play drop-in sessions for Under 5s - Drop-in at Young V&A · V&A ·       There are drop-in sessions on Saturday that welcome children of all ages and their families and you can see details here: SideWays Play drop-in sessions for children of all ages - Drop-in at Young V&A · V&A     Access information: ·       Our visual story shows you pictures of the museum and how to access our spaces. Please check our Access page for further information.  ·       There will be a visual story about SideWays Play available on the day of your event. ·       This session will be held in the Play Studio on the lower ground floor in the Learning Centre at Young V&A. Our building has step-free access to all public areas.   ·       This is a family event. Children must be accompanied by an adult in the SideWays Play space.  ·       This is a relaxed session. Attendees will be welcome to move around, make noise and leave or re-enter the session throughout.   ·       There will be a quiet space available in the Design Studio near by. ·       Ear defenders are always available on request at our reception and at the entrance to the Learning Centre.   ·       We know that visiting a museum as a family requires lots of planning. If you would like further information or would like to tell us about your child's needs in advance of the session, please contact us by email: young@vam.ac.uk ·       On the day, our friendly team will be available to help with your access needs. Please feel free to approach us to make your visit more comfortable. , Sensory theatre pioneers Oily Cart are creating a new playspace and would love your family to help shape their ideas.  What does a texture sound like? How do colours feel? In the SideWays World there are more than five senses, and the fun begins when you mix them up. Side-by-side(ways), children and grown-ups will explore an accessible, immersive sensory landscape, where everything’s sort of the same… but a little bit more. These relaxed, self-led play-testing sessions invite families to tune into their senses and each other. There are no right ways to play, just your ways.  The Thursday sessions are designed for children with additional needs who love loud music, brights lights and deep vibration, and their families. There'll be a chance to share your thoughts and ideas at the end of the session. This activity is part of Power of Play, a project funded and led by LEGO Group in London, delivered by partners including Young V&A, to bring quality learning-through-play to children in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.  Booking information: ·       One booking includes up to the three people: a child with additional needs accompanied by a responsible adult, plus another child or adult.  ·       Each session lasts for 45 minutes. ·       Sessions are at 11am, 1pm and 3.30pm. ·       This event is free, but requires booking.  ·       Children will be supported to enter and leave at a pace that suits them and we will have a Quiet Space available in the Design Studio nearby.  ·       The Thursday sessions are designed for children with additional needs who may seek a high energy environment.  ·       There are free, bookable sessions for children with additional needs  who might prefer a gentler session on Wednesdays and you can see details here: SideWays Play for children with additional needs (gentle sessions) - Special event at Young V&A · V&A ·       There are drop-in sessions on Fridays for children under 5 and their families and you can see details here: SideWays Play drop-in sessions for Under 5s - Drop-in at Young V&A · V&A ·       There are drop-in sessions on Saturday that welcome children of all ages and their families and you can see details here: SideWays Play drop-in sessions for children of all ages - Drop-in at Young V&A · V&A   Access information: ·       Our visual story shows you pictures of the museum and how to access our spaces. Please check our Access page for further information.  ·       There will be a visual story about SideWays Play available on the day of your event. ·       This session will be held in the Play Studio on the lower ground floor in the Learning Centre at Young V&A. Our building has step-free access to all public areas.   ·       This is a family event. Children must be accompanied by an adult in the SideWays Play space.  ·       This is a relaxed session. Attendees will be welcome to move around, make noise and leave or re-enter the session throughout.   ·       There will be a quiet space available in the Design Studio near by. ·       Ear defenders are always available on request at our reception and at the entrance to the Learning Centre.  ·       We know that visiting a museum as a family requires lots of planning. If you would like further information or would like to tell us about your child's needs in advance of the session, please contact us by email: young@vam.ac.uk ·       On the day, our friendly team will be available to help with your access needs. Please feel free to approach us to make your visit more comfortable. , upperground is a new DJ residency at V&A East Museum, inviting artists and selectors to activate the museum’s upper ground floor on Thursday evenings. Each edition places the spotlight on one guest DJ, giving them space to develop an extended set through their own musical language. Moving across genres, generations and geographies, upperground recognises DJing and selection as creative practices that connect histories, communities and sounds. Taking place during the museum’s public opening hours, the programme explores how live music can change the way a museum is inhabited and create space to listen, dance, meet and experience the building differently. Next up On Thursday 13 August, upperground welcomes polyjammerous, the London cultural platform and multi genre club night founded by Kemi Obasola and Filsan Mohamed. For their V&A East takeover, resident DJ KEMI is joined by DIGITAL SAINT and Baby Jackz for three hours of music moving across club sounds and global electronic music. About Polyjammerous Polyjammerous was founded from a desire to reimagine nightlife and create dancefloors that centre Black femmes, queer communities and genre fluid musical exploration. Drawing on sounds from across the Black diaspora and beyond, its events create playful, high energy spaces built around connection and collective joy. For upperground, KEMI, DIGITAL SAINT and Baby Jackz move through a broad sonic landscape spanning Afro tech, dancehall, amapiano, baile funk, garage, house, jungle and beyond. Part of The Music is Black Festival from East Bank Previous upperground 6 August 2026 — Josh Caffé upperground opened with London based DJ, producer, singer and activist Josh Caffé, whose practice moves through house, techno and queer club culture. His extended set brought the intimacy and energy of the dancefloor into V&A East Museum for the first edition of the residency.  , Summer Design Club is an opportunity for 11-14’s to explore design and making alongside a designer working to a live brief that will be showcased in Young V&A’s Town Square (the marble mosaic floor). This year we will work on a design and build workshop using waste and industrial materials led by PLYSU, a London based collective of Architects, designers and artists.  Over three days this hands-on design and build workshop will invite participants to experiment with materials to invent and construct a human-powered moving machine. Testing ideas through models and full-scale building, the group will explore how structures can roll, spin, pivot or travel- The final creation will appear in the Town Square at the Young V&A, revealing how simple materials and collective energy can turn building into movement. Day 1 Monday 10 August, 11.00 - 16.00 - Workshop Registration from 10.30am On the first day, participants will explore the idea of things that move. Looking at toys, vehicles and machines, they will imagine how movement could be scaled up into something you can climb inside. Through sketching, model making and experimenting with materials, the group will test ideas for structures that roll, spin, pivot or travel using human power. Together they will begin designing a giant moving machine to build during the workshop. Day 2 - Tuesday 11 August, 11.00 - 16.00 - Workshop Participants will begin prototyping their ideas at a larger scale, experimenting with recycled pallets and simple connectors.  Working collaboratively, the group will test how different parts might move, balance and connect - exploring wheels, joints and structures that can shift and travel. These experiments will shape the final design for the moving installation. Day 3 - Wednesday 12 August, 11.00 - 16.00 - Workshop Day three will focus on the full-scale build. Participants will work together to assemble their human-powered moving machine using pallets and construction components. Through collective problem-solving and hands-on building, the group will transform their ideas into a large moving structure ready for the Town Square. MAKE-SHIFT Event, Thursday 13 August (Optional and Drop-in, must be accompanied by an adult) Participants and their families will be invited back to see the finished MAKE­-SHIFT moving machine installed in Young V&A's Town Square.  Visitors will be encouraged to push, pull and explore the structure, discovering how simple materials and collective energy can turn building into movement.  Further Information: • Young people in attendance must be between the ages of 11-14.  • This is a drop off workshop over three days, the fourth day is optional.  • Once you have booked your young person we will follow up with a permissions form and further information. Please expect to hear from us by 7 August at the latest.  • The Event will take place in the Imagine Studio in the learning centre on the Lower Ground Floor and the Town Square at Young V&A, Bethnal Green.  • There will be opportunities for your young person explore the galleries in small groups. • Please bring a packed lunch for each of the three workshop days. We kindly ask that all food brought in is nut-free.  • In the unlikely event that the V&A must cancel due to an emergency or circumstances beyond our control, we will either reschedule your session or issue a refund.  , Join one of our volunteer guides on this tour and discover the origins of the museum while learning about the fascinating treasures held in the V&A’s extensive collections. If you are a first-time visitor or have an interest in art and design and are keen to learn more, this tour is for you! This tour takes please three times a day, starting at 10.30, 13.00, 14.00. The meeting point is in the Cromwell Road entrance shown here on the digital map.  Please note:  Our public tours can be busy and popular. Consider waiting for an alternative tour if the group numbers are beyond your personal comfort. These tours are volunteer-led and occasionally subject to cancellation. Ask a member of our team for details. Our public tours welcome individuals, families and small groups only; large organised groups cannot be accommodated., The V&A building at South Kensington is as fascinating as the objects it contains. Trace the history of our museum through the visionary architects, designers, artists, and directors who have created one of the best loved buildings in the world.  Please note:  Our public tours can be busy and popular. Please consider waiting for an alternative tour if the group numbers are beyond your personal comfort.  These tours are volunteer-led and occasionally subject to cancellation. Ask a member of our team for details. Our public tours welcome individuals, families and small groups only; large organised groups cannot be accommodated., In the company of a V&A Fashion Guide, discover some beautiful highlight pieces from our world-renowned collections across the museum. Walking through different galleries and time periods, you will enjoy a wide range of garments, accessories and other items. Hear fascinating stories about design styles, fabrics, decoration, history and much more.  Please note:  These tours are volunteer led and occasionally subject to cancellation. Ask a member of our team on the day for details. Our public tours can be busy and popular. Consider waiting for an alternative tour if the group numbers are beyond your personal comfort. Our public tours welcome individuals, families and small groups only; large organised groups cannot be accommodated., Our extensive collection, spanning 1,500 years, reflects the finest craftmanship and the myriad influences and styles that define European design. Join us and marvel at these unique treasures.  Please note: Our public tours can be busy and popular. Consider waiting for an alternative tour if the group numbers are beyond your personal comfort. These tours are volunteer led and occasionally subject to cancellation. Ask a member of our team on the day for details. Our public tours welcome individuals, families and small groups only; large organised groups cannot be accommodated., Discover the rich history of British design and lifestyle, from the Tudor monarchs to the end of Queen Victoria’s reign. This collection covers 400 years of British art and craftmanship taking you on a deep dive into British history.  Please note:  Our public tours can be busy and popular. Consider waiting for an alternative tour if the group numbers are beyond your personal comfort. These tours are volunteer-led and occasionally subject to cancellation. Ask a member of our team for details. Our public tours welcome individuals, families and small groups only; large organised groups cannot be accommodated., There have always been women artists but, until very recently they’ve often been ignored by the art world. Each one of these V&A Volunteer Guide-led tours highlights the leading role of women as artists but also patrons, muses, creators, business partners and more. Please note:  Our public tours can be busy and popular. Consider waiting for an alternative tour if the group numbers are beyond your personal comfort. These tours are volunteer-led and occasionally subject to cancellation. Ask a member of our team for details. Our public tours welcome individuals, families and small groups only; large organised groups cannot be accommodated., This event is now sold out. Tickets may become available on the day and will be given out on a first come, first served basis. Step into an unforgettable hands-on adventure where your imagination takes centre stage. Inspired by the work of Adobe Creative Resident Emily Stapleton-Jefferis, work together to design and build a giant mushroom castle using real tools. Guided by experienced facilitators, you will use your own imagination and creativity to world build and play!  In this unique outdoor experience, young builders will explore what they can create when given the freedom to experiment, problem-solve and collaborate. Using natural materials like wood and canvas, every child will contribute to a shared structure that grows and evolves throughout the day.    Children will also have the chance to dream up their own individual creations at a make and take station. Come join us for a celebration of play, making and discovery!    This is a free, ticketed event for families to enjoy; no child can be left unattended. Suitable for ages 5+ only. We request that there is at least one adult supervising every 2 children.  We are only able to welcome in those who have attended a full safety briefing so please plan to arrive 15 minutes before the start of session so you can take part and make the most out of your experience. We cannot guarantee entry to latecomers. Make sure to bring clothes that you are happy to build in and get a little messy!   This event will take place in the John Madejski Garden. There will be 4, 1 hour long sessions throughout the day that families can book onto. Tickets will be available from 12 June.   If you have any further questions, please email the families team on families@vam.ac.uk.  V&A South Kensington visual story This visual story provides images and information to help you plan and prepare for your visit to the museum. Find out more about access at V&A South Kensington.     Supported by the Adobe Foundation. , Female artists have long employed collage to reflect the ways in which identity is often constructed from conflicting, contrasting, and contradictory parts. In this study session, Fiona Rogers (V&A Parasol Curator of Women in Photography) will present a range of objects from the V&A collection which embody use of 'femmage'—a radical reclaiming of craft traditionally associated with women—as a resilient method within feminist and political art. From nineteenth-century cut and paste album-makers, to Modernist, Surrealist, and Dadaist innovators; radical, second-wave feminists and pioneering contemporary artists, this material offers an expanded definition of collage to encompass photomontage, assemblage, and the photogram. 'Cut Out: A Feminist History of Photo Collage, Montage and Assemblage' is a new V&A and Thames & Hudson publication which explores the previously untold relationship between photography, feminist art, and collage through the V&A’s extensive collection of photography, spanning the nineteenth century to the present day. Supported by the V&A Parasol Foundation Women in Photography Project, Makers Club is a space where visitors are invited to V&A East Museum Creative Studio to explore a seasonal selection of self-led collaborative activities at their own pace. This summer, join us in the Makers Book Club and read through books on art, design, making and creative practice, contribute to a collective weaving piece, or pause to reflect on an idea, memory or conversation sparked during your visit.   Large-scale weaving frames will be gradually growing through contributions from visitors across the season. Alongside the reading space, visitors are invited to leave reflections, sketches or responses on risograph-printed bookmarks, adding them to a shared collective archive of thoughts or taking them away as part of their own creative process.   Makers Book Club offers an informal environment to rest, browse, experiment and connect with creative ideas inside V&A East Museum.  , Families are invited to join fun, themed story-making sessions where everyone can help create adventures together. There will also be time for creative, self-directed play, where you can explore characters, ideas, and make-believe worlds at your own pace. The space will be open from 12.00 - 16.00, with a Story Maker joining at points to help spark ideas and support collaborative story-making. - 25 July, Imaginary Worlds: craft wild, unusual worlds inspired by museum objects with artist / museum facilitator Lucie MacGregor.  - 1 August, Seasons: explore nature's seasons through sight, sound, and touch with author / gardener Ella Phillips.  - 8 August, Characters: watch toys come alive with superpowers and secret friends with storyteller/ theatre practitioner Luke Saydon.  - 15 August, Journeys: create playful tales about the big adventures of moving places with theatre maker / museum facilitator Roberta Livingston., Free self-led activity just for 11-14-year-olds.  Pick up a friendship making kit in the Community Room on the lower ground floor at Young V&A during Summer Family Fridays. Each kit has been developed by Jewellery designer Bernadette Deddens and is based on the kumihimo bracelet. This is a self-led activity that can be carried out in our soft area of the community room, there will be facilitators available if you get stuck. You can keep the kit, taking it home to make more for you and your friends!  A Kit contains: - Cotton Yarn in cool or warm colours - A card disc tool - Instructions, Friday 31 July  - Community Room Paper Play Shaping Words: we will use colourful paper collage to create visual poems inspired by trees, as well as our Alphabet display in our Play Gallery. (All ages, Families) - Community Room Family Design Challenge: Graphic Designer Lukman Ipese challenges you to design a Football Kit inspired by your family. (ages 5-14, Families)  - Community Room Design Club (11-14): pick up a friendship bracelet making kit and hang out in our soft area (11–14 year-olds)  - Community Room Friday 7 August - Town Square and the Community Room Paper Play Growing a Sculpture​: join us in the Town Square to create a collaborative tree root system, using recycled cardboard​. (All ages, Families) -Town Square Family Design Challenge: Young V&A Design team Haidee Drew & Ellie Wright challenge you to build a character inspired by the Charles Eames colouring toy. (Ages 5-14, Families) - Community Room Design Club (11-14): pick up a friendship bracelet making kit and hang out in our soft area (11–14 year-olds) - Community Room Friday 14 August  - Community Room Paper Play Shaping Words: we will use colourful paper collage to create visual poems inspired by trees, as well as our Alphabet display in our Play Gallery. (All ages, Families) - Community Roomn Family Design Challenge: Jeweller Bernadette Deddens & her daughter Suzu challenges you to create paper friendship bracelets. (ages 5-14, Families)  - Community Room Design Club (11-14): pick up a friendship bracelet making kit and hang out in our soft area (11–14 year-olds) - Community Room Friday 21 August  -  North Garden and the Community Room Paper Play Drawing with Trees​: use branches and twigs to craft our very own drawing tools, then enjoy mark-making together. (All ages, Families)  - North Garden Family Design Challenge: Graphic designer Alice Tosey challenges you to create glyph and font characters. (ages 5-14, Families)  - Community Room Design Club (11-14): pick up a friendship bracelet making kit and hang out in our soft area (11–14 year-olds) - Community Room  MORE INFORMATION: Paper Play Inspired by Adobe Artist in Residence Emily Stapleton-Jefferis, families will explore the creative possibilities of paper together. Through hands-on activities, discover where paper comes from, how it can be reused, and the many ways it can be transformed. From collage and cardboard creations to papermaking and drawing, each session encourages creativity, curiosity, and care for the world around us. Supported by the Adobe Foundation Family Design Challenge Take on a Family Design Challenge in the community room, where you and your children problem solve, design and make together. You'll tackle a brief set by a designer, be inspired by museum objects at Young V&A and get hands-on with a variety of tools and materials with the support of our creative facilitators. Everyone goes home with something they've made or have the option to leave it on display. Paper Play and Family Design Challenge are family activities, where adults are required to participate alongside their children. Design Club (11-14) Pick up a friendship making kit in the community room on any of  the Family Fridays: 31 July, 7 August, 14 August and 21 August​. Inspired by Kumihimo friendship bracelets, you will receive a kit developed by jeweller Bernadette Deddens that includes cotton yarn, a card disc and instructions. Take a seat in our soft area in the community room, get creating and make some new friends. You may take your bracelet and kit home to keep making more!, Stamp and Seek. Join the Play Champions for play activities with a design focus. Explore and collect textures, then have a go at printing them onto fabric. The fabric made will be used by our Designer in The Shed Christie Swallow to make bird houses for the gardens at Young V&A. Activity will take place outside on the North Lawn. In wet weather or extreme heat, activities will take place in the Town Square or around the museum. Ask members of staff for updates on the day.   All our events are family activities, where adults are required to participate alongside their children.   This activity is part of Young V&A’s Power of Play programme. The Power of Play is a collective impact consortium to bring quality learning-through-play to children in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The project is funded by the LEGO Foundation and coordinated by the LEGO Group in London. Young V&A is participating in the project alongside the Institute of Imagination, Save the Children and EasyPeasy and Ambition Aspire Achieve., Sensory theatre pioneers Oily Cart are creating a new playspace and would love your family to help shape their ideas.  What does a texture sound like? How do colours feel? In the SideWays World there are more than five senses, and the fun begins when you mix them up. Side-by-side(ways), children and grown-ups will explore an accessible, immersive sensory landscape, where everything’s sort of the same… but a little bit more. These relaxed, self-led play-testing sessions invite families to tune into their senses and each other. There are no right ways to play, just your ways.  Drop-in sessions on Fridays are for Early Years children and their families. There will be a chance to share your thoughts and ideas at the end of your session. This activity is part of Power of Play, a project funded and led by LEGO Group in London, delivered by partners including Young V&A, to bring quality learning-through-play to children in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Event information: ·       Drop-in sessions run from 11am – 1pm and 2.30pm – 4.30pm. ·       We recommend spending up to 45 minutes in SideWays Play ·       Sessions are free and drop-in, with no booking needed, to make it easier for families to join us.  ·       There is a limited capacity inside the playspace, to make sure everyone has the best experience possible.  This means we cannot guarantee entry, and there may be a wait at busy times. ·       There are free, bookable sessions for children with additional needs (gentle sessions) on Wednesdays and you can see details here: SideWays Play for children with additional needs (gentle sessions) - Special event at Young V&A · V&A ·       There are free, bookable sessions for children with additional needs (high energy) on Thursdays and you can see details here: SideWays Play for children with additional needs (high energy sessions) - Drop-in at Young V&A · V&A ·       There are drop-in sessions on Saturday that welcome children of all ages and their families and you can see details here: SideWays Play drop-in sessions for children of all ages - Drop-in at Young V&A · V&A     Access information: ·       Our visual story shows you pictures of the museum and how to access our spaces. Please check our Access page for further information.  ·       There will be a visual story about SideWays Play available on the day of the event. ·       This session will be held in the Play Studio on the lower ground floor in the Learning Centre at Young V&A. Our building has step-free access to all public areas.   ·       Please use our buggy park on entrance to the museum, as we don’t have a space for them in the studio and it can cause a potential fire or trip risk.  ·       This is a family event. Children must be accompanied by an adult in the SideWays Play space.  ·       This is a relaxed session. Attendees will be welcome to move around, make noise and leave or re-enter the session throughout.   ·       We ask everyone to keep food items in their bags while in the workshop room in case of food allergies. Breastfeeding or bottle feeding is allowed in the room anytime, or anywhere you feel comfortable in the museum if you prefer. ·       Ear defenders are always available on request at our reception.   ·       We know that visiting a museum as a family requires lots of planning. If you would like further information or would like to tell us about your child's needs in advance of the session, please contact us by email: young@vam.ac.uk ·       On the day, our friendly team will be available to help with your access needs. Please feel free to approach us to make your visit more comfortable. , Sensory theatre pioneers Oily Cart are creating a new playspace and would love your family to help shape their ideas.  What does a texture sound like? How do colours feel? In the SideWays World there are more than five senses, and the fun begins when you mix them up. Side-by-side(ways), children and grown-ups will explore an accessible, immersive sensory landscape, where everything’s sort of the same… but a little bit more. These relaxed, self-led play-testing sessions invite families to tune into their senses and each other. There are no right ways to play, just your ways.  Drop-in sessions on Saturdays are open to children of all ages and their families. There will be a chance to share your thoughts and ideas at the end of your session. This activity is part of Power of Play, a project funded and led by LEGO Group in London, delivered by partners including Young V&A, to bring quality learning-through-play to children in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.  Event information: ·       Drop-in sessions run from 11am – 1pm and 2.30pm – 4.30pm. ·       We recommend spending up to 45 minutes in SideWays Play. ·       Sessions are free and drop-in, with no booking needed, to make it easier for families to join us.  ·       There is a limited capacity inside the playspace, to make sure everyone has the best experience possible.  This means we cannot guarantee entry, and there may be a wait at busy times.  ·       There are free, bookable sessions for children with additional needs (gentle sessions) on Wednesdays and you can see details here: SideWays Play for children with additional needs (gentle sessions) - Special event at Young V&A · V&A ·       There are free, bookable sessions for children with additional needs (high energy) on Thursdays and you can see details here: SideWays Play for children with additional needs (high energy sessions) - Drop-in at Young V&A · V&A ·       There are drop-in sessions on Fridays for children under 5 and their families and you can see details here: SideWays Play drop-in sessions for Under 5s - Drop-in at Young V&A · V&A   Access information: ·       Our visual story shows you pictures of the museum and how to access our spaces. Please check our Access page for further information.  ·       There will be a visual story about SideWays Play available on the day of your event. ·       This session will be held in the Play Studio on the lower ground floor in the Learning Centre at Young V&A. Our building has step-free access to all public areas.   ·       Please use our buggy parks on entrance to the museum, as we don’t have a space for them in the studio and it can cause a potential fire or trip risk.  ·       This is a family event. Children must be accompanied by an adult in the SideWays Play space.  ·       This is a relaxed session. Attendees will be welcome to move around, make noise and leave or re-enter the session throughout.  ·       We ask everyone to keep food items in their bags while in the workshop room in case of food allergies. Breastfeeding or bottle is allowed in the room anytime, or anywhere you feel comfortable in the museum if you prefer. ·       Ear defenders are always available on request at our reception.   ·       We know that visiting a museum as a family requires lots of planning. If you would like further information or would like to tell us about your child's needs in advance of the session, please contact us by email: young@vam.ac.uk ·       On the day, our friendly team will be available to help with your access needs. Please feel free to approach us to make your visit more comfortable., See: There will be a display of some remarkable items from the Library’s collection on the topics of: Summer, Food, Photobooks and V&A Illustration Awards. There will also be V&A Archives on show.  Where: Reading Room Time: throughout the day.   Take part: Create Make your own book to take-away with you. The Youth Collective team will take you through bookmaking in a 45 minute workshop.  All skill levels welcome! Location: Centre Room Time: 12:30, 14:00, 16:00  Decorate Materials will be available for you to either fill the pages of your book, or to just respond to the Library’s collection. Location: Centre Room Time: throughout the day    Tour Are you curious about the ‘behind the scenes’ of the Library? Join our exclusive 30 minute tour to see the hidden spaces. Location: Centre Room Time: 13:00, 14:30, 16:00 Talk   Hear more about the fascinating history of the National Art Library and its collections in a 30 minute talk from our Chief Librarian.  Location: Centre Room  Time: 13:30, 15:30     There is limited capacity for each activity. Please sign up at the entrance to the library Actions you can take to stay safe in hot weather Heatwaves are becoming more frequent making it increasingly important for all of us to take a few extra steps to protect our health and wellbeing. • There is no air-conditioning in the National Art Library. • Drink plenty of fluids and avoid caffeinated drinks. Water is allowed in the National Art Library • Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and what to do if you or someone else has them • Try to avoid direct sunlight, especially between 11:00 and 15:00 when UV levels are highest • If you are going out during this time, cover up with suitable clothing, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, seek shade and apply sunscreen liberally and re-apply frequently, Join a playful drop-in session and build sculptures that move with air. Explore balance and motion, and discover how your creations come alive through creative exploration and imaginative making. This event will take place in the John Madejski Garden. In case of wet weather, it will take place indoors in the Digital Studio, Level 0 of the V&A Learning Centre. This is a free, drop-in activity for families to enjoy together. Please note: places are limited and allocated on a first come first served basis. Suitable for ages 5+, and no child can be left unattended. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing time, no booking is required. Activity developed in collaboration with Shanti Bell (Furniture and Placemaking Resident). The Adobe Creative Residency is supported by the Adobe Foundation., Have you ever wanted to design your very own toy?  Dream up and design a toy, imagined by you! Does it wiggle? Or giggle? Or do something delightfully unexpected? Use your creative thinking and problem-solving skills to explore how it could work. Learn how to use simple materials to make imaginative toys, and practice skills that you can take home to keep making, creating and playing!   This is a free, drop-in event for families to enjoy all together; no child can be left unattended. Suitable for ages 5+.   This event will take place in the John Madejski Garden.    If you have any further questions, please email the families team on families@vam.ac.uk.    V&A South Kensington visual story    This visual story provides images and information to help you plan and prepare for your visit to the museum. Find out more about access at V&A South Kensington.  Supported by the Adobe Foundation., Can workers reclaim independence through thetools in their workplaces? In factories and workshops, materials and machinery are often left idle for substantial parts of the day. When workers find ways of using them ‘on the sly’, a secret world of creativity emerges.    In this film, artist Justinien Tribillon draws inspiration from the French word perruque, a term used to describe the practice of covertly making things for yourself, while at work.  Researching and filmingthese practices in east London, Tribillon focuses on the precise and repetitive movement of hands. These motions become slow and tender as these individuals craft one piece of work they can bring home.       , Artist Carrie Mae Weems believes ‘love stories are embedded in every migration story — those who we leave behind, those who we meet upon arrival, and what allows a new place to begin to feel like home.’     In this film, Weems traces how bodies of water, from their sweeping currents to soft tides, have shaped us, enabling transatlantic migration and continuing to impact communities in east London and beyond. The work explores the creation of new identities and artistic forms by the immigrants who have relocated across oceans, both voluntarily and by force.    Weems celebrates the cultural diversity that connects and underpins the foundations of contemporary cities. Transcending fear and adversity, water and networks of migration are the fuel of global creativity.     Edited by Carrie Mae Weems, Atagun Ilhan, and Yao Xu. This presentation has been supported by the Terra Foundation for American Art 

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