The new London museum where you won’t be shushed or told off for touching items
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The new museum where touching items is allowed
- The V&A East Storehouse, a new concept from the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), has opened in London's Olympic Park, offering public access to its storage facilities.
- The Storehouse spans 16,000 square meters and contains over 250,000 objects, 350,000 books, and 1,000 archives, representing "5,000 years of creativity," according to Kate Parsons, the museum's director of collection care and access.
- A key feature is the "Order an Object" service, allowing visitors to book appointments to view and handle specific items, such as a Vivienne Westwood sweater or a Balenciaga gown.
- Designed by Diller, Scofidio and Renfro, the Storehouse also displays large-scale items, including a Mughal colonnade and a Frank Lloyd Wright office, and will soon house the David Bowie Center in September.
- The Storehouse aims to increase transparency by openly discussing the provenance of its collections, ensuring equitable access for researchers and the public, as emphasized by senior curator Georgia Haseldine.