Across the River Lea in East London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the V&A East Storehouse opened on 31 May 2025 — a radical reinvention of the museum experience. Far more than a storage facility, this cavernous, four-level space designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro (with Austin‑Smith:Lord) gives you unprecedented access to the Victoria & Albert Museum’s hidden treasures. For those of you who know me well- the V&A in South Kensington is one of my favourite. Whilst I was studying Art history, I spent three summers working at the British Museum- and what really amazed me- the storage rooms filled with treasures of all shapes and sizes.

A New Kind of Museum

What I really loved here!

• Open-Plan Discovery: Imagine IKEA meets Museum — no closed galleries, just a vast central “Collection Hall” where 250,000 objects and 350,000 books share daylighted shelving with visitors.

• Behind-the-Scenes Marvels: Watch conservators at work, step onto grated walkways, discover architectural fragments like the Robin Hood Gardens wall or the Torrijos ceiling — all in situ

• ‘Order an Object’: A world-first service allowing visitors to book one-on-one appointments with specific works — from Balenciaga garments to Samurai swords — any day of the week. I haven't tried that service yet - I need to think of what I would love to see. But such a privilege to get close to a historical piece.

• Collection on Display
  Over 100 mini-curated displays combine global treasures: Roman frescoes, Elton John’s tour costumes, Dior haute couture, Picasso stage curtains, Keith Moon’s drumkit — each selected to delight and surprise.
• 

Architecture & Design

• Adaptive Reuse: Housed within the redeveloped media centre from the 2012 Olympics, this truly warehouse-technique space has been recalibrated into a dynamic exhibit environment 

• Design Vision: Diller Scofidio + Renfro embraced transparency — excavating the centre to a two-storey-high grand hall with galleries around its periphery — making storage a spectacle

Plan Your Visit

• Opening Hours: Daily 10:00–18:00, with extended evening hours until 22:00 on Thursdays and Saturdays

• Admission: Always free (some workshops or bookings may carry a small charge) .

• Getting There: Just a short walk from Hackney Wick Overground or Stratford station. Step-free access throughout

• Facilities: Lockers, accessible toilets, quiet rooms, café, and a “Buggy Park” for young families

 Why this museum is such an important place

• Rethinking Museum Norms: By uniting storage, conservation, and display, V&A East Storehouse dismantles traditional divides — inviting visitors into the process, not just the product

• Cultural Democracy: A homegrown place rooted in East London’s creativity and communities — co-created with young people, artists, and local voices 

• Creative Catalysts: Whether you’re a maker, student, or tourer, the “Order an Object” model, open displays, and in-house programming fuel curiosity and inspiration.