Victoria and Albert Museum

Located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is a museum of decorative arts and design, home to a permanent collection with over 2.3 million objects. The museum is named after 19th-century monarch Queen Victoria and her consort Prince Albert.

The museum was founded in 1852 with the following principles: 1. educating and making works of art and design available to all; 2. inspiring another generation of British design and manufacturing.

V&A features over 500 years of human art, including objects of ceramics, glass, textiles, costumes, silver, prints, sculptures, medieval objects, drawings and more.

This extensive collection is in part due to the museum’s strong effort to preserve its collection during the Second World War, when it stored most of its objects in three different locations across England.

The museum offers not only tours but also workshops and classes, in addition to its special exhibitions.

Admission to V&A is free. There are several tours available for visitors who prefer guided tours. To get a complete overview, the one-hour Daily Introductory Tour, which meets at the Grand Entrance, is a good option.

Visitors that get tired or hungry while exploring the museum can take a break at their dining establishments. The first is Garden Café, which is open year-round and weather permitted in the winter months. Another option is to enjoy a lovely Victorian Afternoon Tea experience in one of three beautifully designed period rooms. The Victorian Afternoon Tea is the world’s oldest museum restaurant.