Touching Treasures at the V&A East Storehouse
The V&A East Storehouse in London offers a unique opportunity for museum visitors. Unlike typical museums where touching artifacts is prohibited, this storehouse allows you to handle a variety of items including vintage garments, modern design objects, and ancient musical instruments.
The Origins of the Storehouse
The V&A East Storehouse was established to address the space limitations at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s main site in West London. With over 400,000 items in its collection, the museum needed an alternative space for artworks, antique furniture, and suits of armor that were not on display. Rather than simply creating a storage facility, the museum aimed to provide visitors with unprecedented access to its collection.
Booking One-on-One Time with Artifacts
At the Storehouse, you can explore aisles filled with items on shelves or utilize the ‘Order an Object’ service. This service allows you to book personal time with an artifact of your choice. Each item has been evaluated by conservators to ensure safety for handling. For artifacts that are too fragile, museum staff either display them for close inspection or direct visitors to other items suitable for handling.
Images of the V&A East Storehouse showcase its extensive collection that is not displayed at the main London site.
The Storehouse provides a chance to engage with historical and artistic pieces in ways not possible in standard exhibitions.