London’s V&A East Museum Opens

In London, England, the Victoria and Albert Museum opened V&A East on April 18th. The new museum aims to attract younger visitors—ages 16 to 24—who currently visit museums at a rate of roughly 31% to 37%, compared to 41% of adults. V&A East displays about 500 objects within an airy, open space and offers free admission to its permanent galleries.

The museum presents items like a Berber necklace from Algeria and shoes by Vivienne Westwood alongside contemporary works by artists from East London. Curators selected objects connected to themes important to young people, including climate change, identity, and social cohesion. More than 30,000 young people participated in consultations that shaped the museum’s collection.

The museum’s first temporary exhibition, “The Music is Black: A British Story,” uses connected headphones to create an immersive experience. While the museum hopes to increase youth engagement, it remains to be seen if this new approach will fully address the declining attendance among young adults.