Free to all, the V&A East Storehouse will have over half a million works spanning every creative discipline, from Biba and Balenciaga to the Ballets Russes and the Sex Pistols to Samurai swords
The V&A East Storehouse will open on 31st May 2025, offering visitors unprecedented access to the behind-the-scenes world.
V&A East Storehouse, will open to everyone on 31 May 2025, as part of East Bank, the new cultural quarter in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. A world-first in size, scale and ambition, and new source of inspiration for all, V&A East Storehouse will immerse visitors in over half a million works spanning every creative discipline, from Biba and Balenciaga to the Ballets Russes and the Sex Pistols to Samurai swords.
Alongside a behind the scenes and self-guided experience with over 100 curated mini displays, and a world-first Order an Object experience – where anyone can book to see any object they like, seven-days a week – V&A East Storehouse will also be the new home of the David Bowie Centre, opening later, on 13 September 2025.
The first of two new V&A East sites – V&A East Storehouse – will open on 31st May 2025, offering visitors unprecedented access to the behind-the-scenes world of its busy working stores
It will be home to over half a million creative works – from The Glastonbury Festival Archive to PJ Harvey and Elton John’s costumes, vintage football shirts, Dior and Schiaparelli haute couture, Roman frescos, Samurai swords, Mid-Century furniture and the iPhone.
In addition to an extensive self-guided visitor experience, V&A East Storehouse’s world-first Order an Object experience means anyone can book to see any object they like, seven-days a week.
Over 100 mini curated displays ‘hacked’ into the ends of storage systems reveal new stories and connections – from east London’s rich heritage of making, artistry and activism to recent acquisitions by fashion designer Imane Ayissi, photographer Mariette Pathy Allen and artists Xanthe Somers and Sanaa Gateja.
Co-produced displays, new works and commissions with young east Londoners, communities and creatives bring new perspectives to objects throughout, including a fragment from Robin Hood Gardens, a former residential estate in Poplar, east London, and the extraordinary 17th century Agra Colonnade.
V&A East Storehouse’s David Bowie Centre will open on 13 September 2025 – with a series of rotating displays, installations, guest-curated content and the opportunity to book to see anything from The David Bowie Archive.
Over 70 new jobs were created across V&A East’s two sites as part of a commitment to bring new opportunities to those living in the four Olympic boroughs.
Tim Reeve, deputy director of the V&A, and Chair of the East Bank Board, said: “The opening of V&A East Storehouse next May delivers on our ambition to create a new standard for access to national collections, in an area of London with such a rich creative heritage and vibrant and talented creative community.
As a key part of East Bank and the London 2012 Olympic legacy, V&A East resonates powerfully with our original mission to inspire creativity and support the creative industries.”
“Through V&A East Storehouse, visitors will be encouraged to immerse themselves in the magical behind-the-scenes world of museums and empowered to make their own journeys through the V&A’s global collections.
Our world-first Order an Object experience opens up the V&A’s collections to everyone on their own terms, and on a scale never possible before. We hope this will shift the dial in creating more transparent and personalised experiences, and for everyone to find their own inspiration in V&A East Storehouse.”
Arts minister, Sir Chris Bryant, said: “Opening up access to our cultural assets for people from all backgrounds is very important to this government, so I’m thrilled that V&A East Storehouse will open next year. With more of our national collections on display, its unique and personalised experience will allow more people to better understand the rich creative heritage of our country.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The opening of V&A East Storehouse next year will be a wonderful addition to our capital’s cultural landscape. The working store will offer Londoners and visitors unprecedented free access to a wide variety of creative works, from Roman artefacts to modern-day music archives. It’s another hugely significant moment in the creation of our powerhouse for innovation, creativity and learning at East Bank, as we build a better London for everyone.”
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