'Twinless' director James Sweeney was hesitant to talk about his sex scene with Dylan O'Brien. Then it leaked online.
The buzz around Twinless out of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival was so intense, the film had to be pulled from the festival's exclusive streaming website because scenes leaked on TikTok and X.
The movie, which won the festival's top audience award, follows two men who meet at a support group for people who have lost a twin. It stars James Sweeney, who also wrote and directed the movie, and Dylan O'Brien, who won the festival's special jury award for acting for his dual role as twins.
Sweeney spoke to Yahoo Entertainment on the ground at Sundance, where the film was creating buzz and selling out screenings but hadn't been plagued by piracy yet.
Growing up in an era when Lindsay Lohan's Parent Trap and several movies featuring the Olsen twins dominated pop culture, Sweeney developed a fascination with that extra-close sibling dynamic. He dated an identical twin, and when he started thinking about what it would be like to lose a twin, he thought it was the 'saddest thing I've ever heard.'
'Honestly, if I think about it too much, I will cry. It's such a profound bond,' he said.
Sweeney, who also wrote, directed and starred in the 2019 rom-com Straight Up, said there were years when 'everybody in town passed on' Twinless. O'Brien signed on early in the process, though, and 'never doubted it.'
Sweeney was hesitant to give much away about O'Brien's role but said the actor filmed each of his twin character scenes separately across different months. He plays both Roman, who Sweeney's character Dennis bonds with in a support group, and Roman's deceased twin, Rocky.
As a former child actor who starred in the popular Teen Wolf series and Maze Runner movies but has since become a Sundance regular, O'Brien has a dedicated online fanbase that broke past the film's secretive festival promotion and may have contributed toward the leak of his Twinless scenes.
Lauren Graham plays Roman and Rocky's mom, who spends much of the film grieving. Sweeney, a big Gilmore Girls fan, said he was 'reticent' about reaching out to her at first.
'I was like, 'Is she going to think I'm a lunatic?'' he joked. 'I think she's such a wonderful actress ... and I have so much respect for her.'
On the red carpet for the Twinless premiere, Graham repeatedly spoke about how thrilled she was to be able to take on a darker role because she never gets opportunities like this.
Another nugget from his childhood that Sweeney put into the movie was a reference to the life simulator computer game The Sims. Dennis and Roman dress as the video game characters for a costume party.
'I'd lose days of my life to The Sims,' Sweeney said. 'You get to build your own world. It ties into Dennis constructing these fantasies.'
Sweeney added that originally, the script called for a reference to a Nintendo game involving twins, but they couldn't clear it after months of trying. It was a blessing in disguise, though, because so many people have fond childhood memories of playing The Sims, including O'Brien, who told Yahoo Entertainment on the Twinless red carpet that he loved cheating the game to get more money and deleting the bed out from under Sims who were getting naked.
'I was somebody who just really wanted to get promoted and focused too much on the skills and not enough on the relationships,' Sweeney said, laughing. 'I feel like that's something I need to explore in therapy.'
He was hesitant to talk about the sex scene in the movie, but less than a week after the interview, it leaked online. The scene involves Sweeney, who directed himself, and O'Brien.
'It helped that it was such a comfortable set. I think ultimately I had to shove down the personal, bodily, actorly insecurities and take control as a director,' he said. 'This services the movie, and this is what I need to do, so I need to compartmentalize those emotions.'
At its premiere, Twinless drew a lot of laughs and made a lot of people physically cringe. There's a twist Sweeney didn't want to discuss because he wants the film to have 'a full life' in theaters. He hopes people are 'a lot more curious after they've seen it versus going into it.'
One thing he was eager to share, though, was that the film cast real-life twins as the background talent in support group scenes. Local casting agencies put out fliers seeking them out. Sweeney himself started seeing twins everywhere.
'I had just come back from scouting a location ... to the Airbnb where I was staying, and I was looking around, and I thought, 'Are those twins?'' he said, then walked up to the pair. 'I was like, 'Hi, excuse me, are you twins? ... I'm directing a movie and we're looking for twins.''
They said they already knew about him and his movie — they'd seen the flier. One was too busy to film, but the other ended up joining the cast.
Ever guarded, Sweeney wouldn't say what's next for him.
'It's not real until it's happening and I don't want to jinx it,' he said. 'I want to do another rom-com, and I'd love to do a legal thriller drama. I think I'd be a lawyer in a different life. ... Maybe it's not even directing. Maybe I'll just play a lawyer on [Law & Order:] SVU.'
Twinless has not yet announced plans for distribution.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
28 minutes ago
London's V&A Storehouse museum lets visitors get their hands on 5,000 years of creativity
LONDON -- A museum is like an iceberg. Most of it is out of sight. Most big collections have only a fraction of their items on display, with the rest locked away in storage. But not at the new V&A East Storehouse, where London's Victoria and Albert Museum has opened up its storerooms for visitors to view — and in many cases touch — the items within. The 16,000-square-meter (170,000-square-foot) building, bigger than 30 basketball courts, holds more than 250,000 objects, 350,000 books and 1,000 archives. Wandering its huge, three-story collections hall feels like a trip to IKEA, but with treasures at every turn. The V&A is Britain's national museum of design, performance and applied arts, and the storehouse holds aisle after aisle of open shelves lined with everything from ancient Egyptian shoes to Roman pottery, ancient Indian sculptures, Japanese armor, Modernist furniture, a Piaggio scooter and a brightly painted garbage can from the Glastonbury Festival. 'It's 5,000 years of creativity,' said Kate Parsons, the museum's director of collection care and access. It took more than a year, and 379 truckloads, to move the objects from the museum's former storage facility in west London to the new site. In the museum's biggest innovation, anyone can book a one-on-one appointment with any object, from a Vivienne Westwood mohair sweater to a tiny Japanese netsuke figurine. Most of the items can even be handled, with exceptions for hazardous materials, such as Victorian wallpaper that contains arsenic. The Order an Object service offers 'a behind-the-scenes, very personal, close interaction' with the collection, Parsons said as she showed off one of the most requested items so far: a 1954 pink silk taffeta Balenciaga evening gown. Nearby in one of the study rooms were a Bob Mackie-designed military tunic worn by Elton John on his 1981 world tour and two silk kimonos laid out ready for a visit. Parsons said there has been 'a phenomenal response' from the public since the building opened at the end of May. Visitors have ranged from people seeking inspiration for their weddings to art students and 'someone last week who was using equipment to measure the thread count of an 1850 dress.' She says strangers who have come to view different objects often strike up conversations. 'It's just wonderful,' Parsons said. 'You never quite know. … We have this entirely new concept and of course we hope and we believe and we do audience research and we think that people are going to come. But until they actually did, and came through the doors, we didn't know.' The V&A's flagship museum in London's affluent South Kensington district, founded in the 1850s, is one of Britain's biggest tourist attractions. The Storehouse is across town in the Olympic Park, a post-industrial swath of east London that hosted the 2012 summer games. As part of post-Olympic regeneration, the area is now home to a new cultural quarter that includes arts and fashion colleges, a dance theater and another V&A branch, due to open next year. The Storehouse has hired dozens of young people recruited from the surrounding area, which includes some of London's most deprived districts. Designed by Diller, Scofidio and Renfro, the firm behind New York's High Line park, the building has space to show off objects too big to have been displayed very often before, including a 17th-century Mughal colonnade from India, a 1930s modernist office designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and a Pablo Picasso-designed stage curtain for a 1924 ballet, some 10 meters (more than 30 feet) high. Also on a monumental scale are large chunks of vanished buildings, including a gilded 15th-century ceiling from the Torrijos Palace in Spain and a slab of the concrete façade of Robin Hood Gardens, a demolished London housing estate. Not a hushed temple of art, this is a working facility. Conversation is encouraged and forklifts beep in the background. Workers are finishing the David Bowie Center, a home for the late London-born musician's archive of costumes, musical instruments, letters, lyrics and photos that is due to open at the Storehouse in September. One aim of the Storehouse is to expose the museum's inner workings, through displays delving into all aspects of the conservators' job – from the eternal battle against insects to the numbering system for museum contents — and a viewing gallery to watch staff at work. The increased openness comes as museums in the U.K. are under increasing scrutiny over the origins of their collections. They face pressure to return objects acquired in sometimes contested circumstances during the days of the British Empire Senior curator Georgia Haseldine said the V&A is adopting a policy of transparency, 'so that we can talk very openly about where things have come from, how they ended up in the V&A's collection, and also make sure that researchers, as well as local people and people visiting from all around the world, have free and equitable access to these objects. 'On average, museums have one to five percent of their collections on show,' she said. 'What we're doing here is saying, 'No, this whole collection belongs to all of us. This is a national collection and you should have access to it.' That is our fundamental principle.'
News24
an hour ago
- News24
From AI-powered public health breakthroughs to smarter social media feeds and reimagined fast food – the cutting-edge tech reshaping our world
Personalised digital spaces are becoming the norm, with TikTok's updated For You feed giving users more control over their online experience. AI is driving impact on the ground, as seen in Google's Open Buildings project helping vaccinate zero-dose children and build flood-resilient African cities. Everyday experiences are getting smarter, whether it's Col'Cacchio's tech-driven fast-casual dining model, AI-powered business apps like Zoho Solo, or Nintendo Switch 2's next-gen gaming features bringing friends and family together in new ways. TikTok's new features let you take back control of your for you feed TikTok's iconic For You feed, the heartbeat of the app is getting a well-timed update, and it's all about giving users more say in what shows up on their scroll. Whether you're deep in cooking hacks, art tutorials or just here for the dog videos, the new tools make it easier to curate your feed around your interests and skip what you'd rather not see. Now rolling out across South Africa, the updates include Manage Topics, which lets you adjust how often certain categories like travel, sport, nature or creative arts appear. It's not about muting them completely, but giving your feed a nudge to better reflect what you're into right now. There's also a new Smart Keyword Filter that goes beyond the usual word blocklists. This feature understands synonyms and related terms, making it easier to filter out content you're over or just not in the mood for. The filter now supports up to 200 keywords and shows you what else might be linked, so you're in the driver's seat when it comes to shaping your digital space. Importantly, TikTok is also rolling out an easy-to-use educational guide to help users ,teens included, to better understand how the For You feed works. Think content explainer videos, safety tools, and ways to reset your feed or block mature content. In a local context, it's creators like Tricia Mpisi discovered on TikTok and now acting in streaming films and grace_the_cookist, whose home cooking has gained a loyal following, that reminds us why a smart, personalised feed matters. These tools aim to help more South Africans find creators they love and spaces they feel safe in. Because let's be honest, we all deserve a feed that feels a bit more like you. Col'Cacchio GO: The Future of Fast Casual is Here—and It's Fresh, Fast and Smart Fast food in South Africa is changing, and Col'Cacchio is leading the charge with a bold new concept that puts quality, convenience and tech-first thinking at the centre of your next meal. Enter Col'Cacchio GO a modern take on the Italian favourites South Africans have loved for over 30 years, now served faster and smarter. Launched in April at Westlake in Cape Town, Col'Cacchio GO takes the brand's gourmet roots and makes them work for today's on-the-go lifestyle. It's not just a smaller format it's a full rethink of how premium food can be delivered at speed. With Col'Cacchio GO, we're delivering the same craftsmanship and authenticity that has defined our brand for over 32 years, but in a format that meets today's fast-moving consumer needs. Etienne Pieterse, Group CEO. The model is designed to meet the rising demand for quality takeaway and delivery, with more locations planned in Johannesburg, Durban, and even Mauritius. Seamless digital ordering, partnerships with major delivery platforms, and a pricing promise that keeps meals affordable whether you're dining in or using an app are all part of the tech-led approach. Supplied Menu highlights include generous Family Mega Meals (think 45cm pizzas and 1.3kg pasta trays), low-carb and gluten-free bases, and smart lunch offerings like the new pizza-which a gourmet wrap-meets-pizza filled with fresh ingredients. 'We want to give customers healthy options, but also keep it convenient,' says Pieterse. 'Nothing is pre-made or processed. Our sauces are made in the kitchen every few days.' Col'Cacchio GO also offers something rare in today's delivery scene: consistent pricing. The worst thing is when your favourite restaurants are two to three times more expensive on delivery apps, we've got one price, whether you eat in-store or order via Uber Eats. Etienne Pieterse, Group CEO. With strong consumer demand for fast, nutritious food and South Africa's delivery market seeing double-digit growth, Col'Cacchio GO is more than a meal it's a forward-thinking blueprint for the future of dining. Vivo Y Series launches with industry-first 7-star quality promise in SA Durability is the new must-have in smartphones and vivo is stepping up. This week, the brand launched its latest Y Series lineup in South Africa - the vivo Y29, Y19s Pro, and Y04 256GB, each combining innovation, value, and protection. Leading the pack is the vivo Y29, backed by an industry-first 7-Star Quality Promise, the most comprehensive service plan in its class. Durability shouldn't be limited to premium phones, our 7-Star Promise delivers real protection, not just specs. Tony Shi, GM at vivo SA The plan includes military-grade impact resistance, SGS-certified drop protection, IP64 water/dust resistance, 5-year battery health, and 360° accidental cover—one free repair for screen or body damage. The Y29 also adds 50-month performance optimisation. The lineup highlights: Y29 (R7 999): Slim powerhouse with 6500mAh BlueVolt battery, Snapdragon 685, 120Hz display, Anti-Drop Armour and full 7-Star coverage. Y19s Pro (R5 999): Balanced performer with IP64 protection, dual 300% audio speakers, and 365 days 360° repair cover. Y04 256GB (R2 999): Entry-level champion with 256GB storage, 5500mAh battery, IP64 resistance, and 180 days 360° repair cover. The Y Series isn't just about specs, it's about phones built to last, with after-sales service ranked #1 in SA. Whether you're after premium battery life, rugged durability or unbeatable value, Vivo's Y Series has a smart option ready for everyday life. Google's Open Buildings data helps vaccinate zero-dose children and protect African cities from flooding AI is driving real-world impact across Africa, with Google's Open Buildings dataset emerging as a game-changing tool for health and climate resilience. The dataset, which maps over 1.8 billion structures, is already improving lives across Rwanda, Nigeria, and South Africa, helping to reach unvaccinated children and prepare vulnerable cities for flooding. In Northern Nigeria, mapping teams uncovered over 10,000 structures previously undocumented, helping health workers reach 70% of zero-dose children in just six months. In Rwanda, the Ministry of Health used Open Buildings data to optimise clinic locations ensuring 92% of citizens are now within 30 minutes of care. Screenshot WATCH | Why we'll always listen when David Attenborough speaks Meanwhile, cities like Johannesburg, Gqeberha and Kigali are using the data to build flood-risk exposure maps, helping authorities make better urban planning decisions. With Africa's urban population set to nearly double by 2035, tools like Open Buildings are becoming vital to direct resources where they're needed most. This shows what happens when local expertise meets open, scalable technology, mothers reach clinics sooner, children receive vaccines, and planners get ahead of the next flood. Dr Aisha Walcott-Bryant, Head of Google Research Africa. The Open Buildings dataset, including tutorials and its new 2.5D visualisation layer, is freely available at OPPO Watch X2 Lands in South Africa: Smarter Health, Smarter Life OPPO has launched its most advanced smartwatch yet, the OPPO Watch X2 designed for South Africans who want seamless health tracking, fitness features, and lasting battery life, all in one premium device. The Watch X2 brings a sleek stainless steel body, a sapphire crystal glass display, and military-grade durability. Built for the boardroom, gym and hiking trail, it offers a 60-second health scan at the tap of a button, tracking heart rate, blood oxygen, arterial stiffness, and stress in real time. For active users, there are 100+ workout modes, including badminton and tennis tracking, plus dual-frequency GPS for pinpoint outdoor performance. Supplied The Watch X2's sleep tracking is also a standout, offering insights into sleep quality and breathing patterns synced to OPPO's OHealth app. Inside, the Watch X2 is powered by a dual-chip architecture and offers up to 5 days of battery life, with 24 hours of use from a 10-minute charge. It runs Wear OS by Google, supporting Google Assistant, Maps, Wallet, and third-party apps via Google Play. Our mission is to empower South Africans to take charge of their health, time and ambitions says Bradley Young, OPPO Available from 20 June in Lava Black for R6999, the OPPO Watch X2 delivers a smart, stylish companion ready for whatever life throws at you. The Nintendo Switch 2 launches in SA Nintendo Switch 2 officially lands in South Africa, bringing with it a brand-new Mario Kart experience, improved hardware, and a fresh wave of more than 20 game titles ready to play. Nintendo Switch 2 offers a bigger 7.9' HD screen, upgraded graphics, 256GB of storage, and smart new features like GameChat, letting up to 12 friends chat live while playing even across different locations. There's also CameraPlay, which lets players video chat in-game using a USB-C camera which is sold separately. The headline game, Mario Kart World, is the biggest Mario Kart to date. Players can now race with up to 24 drivers in huge, open racing environments. It also introduces Free Roam mode and Knockout Tour, where the slowest drivers are eliminated at each checkpoint. Supplied The Switch 2 launch lineup includes Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Street Fighter™ 6, SPLIT FICTION, and a new Nintendo GameCube – Classics library. There's also a Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle available in stores and online. Whether you're racing with friends, exploring new missions solo, or catching up on your favourite franchises in 4K, Nintendo Switch 2 is designed for more powerful play—anytime, anywhere. More info at Tech and Ideas Take Centre Stage at Singularity South Africa Summit 2025 Africa's future will be front and centre this October as the SingularityU South Africa Summit returns to the Sandton Convention Centre on 22–23 October 2025. Now in its seventh year, the annual event brings together leading voices in technology, business and innovation to explore how exponential tech can unlock progress across the continent. With the theme Igniting Africa's Future, this year's summit will feature two physical stages, immersive workshops, a premium expo and networking sessions, plus a fully interactive metaverse experience via local platform UBU. Over 30 global and local speakers are expected, covering everything from AI and robotics to spatial computing, health tech and leadership. Confirmed speakers include biotech trailblazer Tiffany Vora, disruption expert David Roberts, and AI pioneer Vukosi Marikate of Lelapa AI, alongside innovation leaders shaping everything from future cities to accessible healthcare. Backed by headline sponsor Old Mutual, the event is focused on real-world impact. 'We're backing technology that improves lives and builds long-term opportunity,' says Old Mutual's Celiwe Ross. In-person and metaverse ticket sales are now open, with early bird prices available until 1 June. Visit for more details. JAWS Turns 50: Spielberg and National Geographic Dive Deep into a Cinematic Classic This July, National Geographic and Disney+ South Africa are making waves with the premiere of JAWS @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story, the only authorised documentary marking the 50th anniversary of Jaws, the blockbuster that redefined cinema and sparked decades of shark fascination. Supplied Premiering Sunday 13 July at 21:00 CAT on National Geographic (DStv 181) and later on National Geographic Wild and Disney+, this 90-minute film gives fans and cinephiles unprecedented access to the making of Jaws. Directed by Laurent Bouzereau (Faye, Music by John Williams), the film features never-before-seen footage from Steven Spielberg's personal archive, as well as brand-new interviews with Spielberg, the original cast, and some of Hollywood's top directors including James Cameron, J.J. Abrams, Guillermo del Toro, and Jordan Peele. Supplied Expect candid stories from malfunctioning sharks to Spielberg's post-production stress that reveal just how risky and revolutionary the production was. The documentary also reflects on the cultural impact of Jaws, from its controversial 'shark fear' legacy to its influence on marine conservation, with commentary from scientists and ocean advocates like Wendy Benchley and Philippe Cousteau. This isn't just a behind-the-scenes doc, it's a celebration of a film that changed everything. XLink Crowned Africa's Top Tech Company South African fintech leader XLink won Technology Company of the Year at the 2025 Africa Tech Week Awards. Recognized for innovation in payments and connectivity, the PASA-certified firm bridges financial access gaps across Africa. 'We're unlocking Supplied futures, not just connecting businesses,' said CEO Dr. Thanusha Govender. The award cements XLink's role in shaping Africa's digital economy through secure, agile solutions. Zoho Targets SA Solopreneurs with New App Zoho reported 35% South African growth and launched Zoho Solo, a mobile app for freelancers. The all-in-one platform handles invoicing, tasks and expenses, with features like real-time profit tracking. Solo understands solopreneurs' unique needs Andrew Bourne, Zoho Africa Priced from R99/month, it joins Zoho's expanding local offerings amid rising demand for AI-powered business tools. Salesforce Showcases AI Workforce in Joburg Salesforce's Agentforce Tour hit Johannesburg, demonstrating AI's role in modern business. The event highlighted how enterprises use AI agents to automate tasks and boost efficiency. This is the biggest tech shift of our time Linda Saunders, Salesforce Africa With 5,000+ recent contracts, Agentforce signals AI's growing impact on Africa's digital workforce. Supplied Beyond expert-led sessions, attendees at the Salesforce Agentforce World Tour Johannesburg will gain hands-on experience in building AI agents and explore the broader Salesforce ecosystem through networking with peers, industry leaders, and Trailblazers. They'll hear firsthand how South African brands are using Salesforce to strengthen customer relationships and drive productivity. Salesforce executives will also share insights on key cloud and AI trends, alongside the company's growth plans for Africa. A special media roundtable will feature Robin Fisher, Linda Saunders, and Ursula Fear, offering a closer look at Salesforce's vision and the future of AI across the region.
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
London's V&A Storehouse museum lets visitors get their hands on 5,000 years of creativity
LONDON (AP) — A museum is like an iceberg. Most of it is out of sight. Most big collections have only a fraction of their items on display, with the rest locked away in storage. But not at the new V&A East Storehouse, where London's Victoria and Albert Museum has opened up its storerooms for visitors to view — and in many cases touch — the items within. The 16,000-square-meter (170,000-square-foot) building, bigger than 30 basketball courts, holds more than 250,000 objects, 350,000 books and 1,000 archives. Wandering its huge, three-story collections hall feels like a trip to IKEA, but with treasures at every turn. The V&A is Britain's national museum of design, performance and applied arts, and the storehouse holds aisle after aisle of open shelves lined with everything from ancient Egyptian shoes to Roman pottery, ancient Indian sculptures, Japanese armor, Modernist furniture, a Piaggio scooter and a brightly painted garbage can from the Glastonbury Festival. 'It's 5,000 years of creativity,' said Kate Parsons, the museum's director of collection care and access. It took more than a year, and 379 truckloads, to move the objects from the museum's former storage facility in west London to the new site. Get up close to objects In the museum's biggest innovation, anyone can book a one-on-one appointment with any object, from a Vivienne Westwood mohair sweater to a tiny Japanese netsuke figurine. Most of the items can even be handled, with exceptions for hazardous materials, such as Victorian wallpaper that contains arsenic. The Order an Object service offers 'a behind-the-scenes, very personal, close interaction' with the collection, Parsons said as she showed off one of the most requested items so far: a 1954 pink silk taffeta Balenciaga evening gown. Nearby in one of the study rooms were a Bob Mackie-designed military tunic worn by Elton John on his 1981 world tour and two silk kimonos laid out ready for a visit. Parsons said there has been 'a phenomenal response' from the public since the building opened at the end of May. Visitors have ranged from people seeking inspiration for their weddings to art students and 'someone last week who was using equipment to measure the thread count of an 1850 dress.' She says strangers who have come to view different objects often strike up conversations. 'It's just wonderful,' Parsons said. 'You never quite know. … We have this entirely new concept and of course we hope and we believe and we do audience research and we think that people are going to come. But until they actually did, and came through the doors, we didn't know.' A new cultural district The V&A's flagship museum in London's affluent South Kensington district, founded in the 1850s, is one of Britain's biggest tourist attractions. The Storehouse is across town in the Olympic Park, a post-industrial swath of east London that hosted the 2012 summer games. As part of post-Olympic regeneration, the area is now home to a new cultural quarter that includes arts and fashion colleges, a dance theater and another V&A branch, due to open next year. The Storehouse has hired dozens of young people recruited from the surrounding area, which includes some of London's most deprived districts. Designed by Diller, Scofidio and Renfro, the firm behind New York's High Line park, the building has space to show off objects too big to have been displayed very often before, including a 17th-century Mughal colonnade from India, a 1930s modernist office designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and a Pablo Picasso-designed stage curtain for a 1924 ballet, some 10 meters (more than 30 feet) high. Also on a monumental scale are large chunks of vanished buildings, including a gilded 15th-century ceiling from the Torrijos Palace in Spain and a slab of the concrete façade of Robin Hood Gardens, a demolished London housing estate. Not a hushed temple of art, this is a working facility. Conversation is encouraged and forklifts beep in the background. Workers are finishing the David Bowie Center , a home for the late London-born musician's archive of costumes, musical instruments, letters, lyrics and photos that is due to open at the Storehouse in September. Museums seek transparency One aim of the Storehouse is to expose the museum's inner workings, through displays delving into all aspects of the conservators' job – from the eternal battle against insects to the numbering system for museum contents — and a viewing gallery to watch staff at work. The increased openness comes as museums in the U.K. are under increasing scrutiny over the origins of their collections. They face pressure to return objects acquired in sometimes contested circumstances during the days of the British Empire Senior curator Georgia Haseldine said the V&A is adopting a policy of transparency, 'so that we can talk very openly about where things have come from, how they ended up in the V&A's collection, and also make sure that researchers, as well as local people and people visiting from all around the world, have free and equitable access to these objects. 'On average, museums have one to five percent of their collections on show,' she said. 'What we're doing here is saying, 'No, this whole collection belongs to all of us. This is a national collection and you should have access to it.' That is our fundamental principle.'
