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Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
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Like an IKEA Warehouse for the Art Crowd — Why the V&A's New, 'Self-Serve' East End Outpost Is Our Latest Obsession
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. It's not quite Night at the Museum, but the V&A's new opening of its storage facility — the V&A East Storehouse — is about as 'behind-the-scenes' as it gets. Located in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, the storehouse stows over 250,000 artifacts and spans four stories over an area bigger than 30 basketball courts. It was created by New York-based architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro with the support of Austin-Smith:Lord with one goal: turning the storied institution's archive inside out. And boy, they have succeeded. Here, visitors can see the V&A's vast collection up close, without the usual glass barrier, making the freshly unveiled location, which opened to the public for the first time last weekend, one of the most exciting city additions for assiduous visitors of design exhibitions in London. To my surprise, the set-up feels genuinely transgressive; I almost gulp when I find myself eye to eye with a multi-hundred-year-old, gold-leafed saint. I ask Technical Manager Matthew Clarke — who supported the installation of the objects, including the seven-ton, 15th-century gilded wooden ceiling from Toledo's now-destroyed Altamira Palace, the Kaufmann Office, Frank Lloyd Wright's only complete interior outside of the US, and a stunningly preserved marble colonnade from 1600s India — whether he is concerned about people touching the very expensive, fragile works. "It is a worry because the V&A East Storehouse is something that's so 'not museum,'" he admits. "But it's giving people agency and trust, and I think that it will bring more ownership of the collection." Among the pieces collected here, his favorite one is a section of what was once Poplar's Robin Hood Gardens, a Brutalist residential complex designed by Alison and Peter Smithson in 1972, which, by the time its demolition started in 2017, housed over a thousand residents within its intricate, maze-like plan. "It was the first thing that came into the storehouse in 2021," Clarke recalls. "We installed that whilst the space was still a construction site." Now an integral part of the center's architecture and thought-provoking public program (visitors get to learn more about it and the stories of those who call it their home as they wander around the site), it is yet another proof of the V&A East Storehouse's efforts to democratize art, and take people along on that journey. The new Order an Object scheme goes one step further. Anyone may reserve up to five items from the collection and examine them in the storehouse's glass-walled workroom at the appointed time. The public appetite is huge; over 1500 objects and 300 appointments were booked in the first ten days since it started operating. Meanwhile, the queues outside of the sleek V&A East Storehouse building stretched nearly half of its silhouette over the opening weekend in a palpable, contagious manifestation of enthusiasm that bodes well for the future of the cultural hub. Image 1 of 6 Image 2 of 6 Image 3 of 6 Image 4 of 6 Image 5 of 6 Image 6 of 6 I am anything but surprised, and I am not alone, either. "Where else would you encounter suits of armor, Sage cloths, biscuit tins, building fragments, puppets, fizzles, chandeliers, and motorcycles in one place next to each other?" Diller Scofidio + Renfro's co-founder, Elizabeth Diller, jokingly asks. Tapped with the demanding task of doing justice to the eclecticism and vastness of the V&A's collection, the studio "decided to lean into the delirium about the strange taxonomies, the mediums, the wide variety of sizes, the myriad of materials, the broad range of geographies and historical periods" reunited among its ranks. Part brutalist industrial facility, part sci-fi-esque cabinet of curiosities, the result is, to say the least, transportative. In one moment, you feel moved by the plethora of masterpieces stacked up on the shelves all around you. The next, you'd bet it's you that's moving, as the glassy, checkered floors proceed to reveal what lies beneath your feet, as well as above you (vertigo sufferers, I warned you), starting from its cinematic first floor. A stern brow, wrinkled Roman soldier. Mesmerizing textiles stretching back to the dawn of time. A pair of latex hot pants manufactured in Derbyshire in 1992, and soon, an entire section centered around David Bowie's belongings, artistry, and life, are only a handful of the curiously fascinating pieces waiting to be observed at the V&A East Storehouse. The coolest thing about it yet? That its appeal doesn't stop there, because if you're hungry, the fun has only just begun. Feeding the crowds of foodie museum goers is London Fields' beloved independent café and pastry heaven, e5 Bakehouse, which opened within the V&A East Storehouse last week to coincide with its launch. The vibe here is, like for the rest of the location, joyful, colorful, and fun, without ever renouncing the irreverent, pioneering approach to art and design that has made the V&A a revered destination worldwide — let alone the freshest British produce and fragrant cakes, bread, and croissants. The brainchild of architecture studio Thing, the spot has instantly earned itself an entry in our next roundup of interiors-conscious cafés in London. It isn't hard to see why. Opening up to the public with a series of squashed square chairs in spring green, rust red, orange, and lime, with just as many Eames-style rocking ones placed in front of its panoramic window lookouts, e5 Storehouse unfolds into a sun-lit lounge section, followed by an airy, blooming-with-flowers dining area that, dotted in warm Douglas fir furniture and teeming with people, still retains its calm. Needless to say, coffee is fantastic, too, with all beans roasted in-house, ensuring your hot drink is not too sweet or frothy. The A Lel Chuang blend, named after the Rwandan village where it is ethically farmed, tastes deliciously tangy, with notes of cherry, mandarin, and caramel manifesting at every sip. The cherry on top, the bound-to-go-viral hangout even has a pastry exclusive to the V&A: a tart with a filling that changes seasonally. At the moment, it's a crunchy Nut Tart: a biscuity sourdough base stuffed with salted-caramel pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans. With the V&A East Museum due to open in spring 2026 minutes away from the Storehouse, we know where all gastronomy and arts enthusiasts will be mingling at. The V&A East Storehouse is now open in Stratford, London. Plan your visit.
CNN
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
In this museum space, the objects are yours to touch
From 31 May, one of the world's largest art and design museums is offering the public not just a rare peek behind the curtain, but a chance for visitors to poke about, see up close — and touch — historical and culturally significant pieces. The V&A Storehouse East — a new museum-grade storage facility turned exhibition and research space in London — is a project over 10 years in the making, and one that aims to reframe the traditional museum experience. Spread across four mighty floors (though only three are accessible to the public), there are over 250,000 objects, ranging from Roman frescoes and an early 14th century Simone Martini painting to avant-garde fashion and couture from the likes of Schiaparelli, Comme des Garçons and Vivienne Westwood. The open access offered to visitors turns museum conventions on its head, where works on display are usually roped off, guarded and therefore only admired from a distance. 'This is real back-of-house museum work,' said the V&A East Storehouse's senior curator Georgina Haseldine, standing in front of rows and rows of priceless objects — from paintings by Margaret Sarah Carpenter to 18th century hunting swords — ahead of its public opening. 'We want visitors to learn what a collection is, how we store it… How colleagues work across the museum, from conservators to the technical service team.' Designed by American interdisciplinary design studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the space includes a central hall reaching 20 meters high. From all directions, rows of metal shelves housing furniture, artworks, mannequins and more stretch outwards. Here, visitors can peer up or down from the upper floors. With so much to see, it is easy to feel engulfed by the sheer volume of items in possession. 'On average, only 3% of a museum's collection is on display at any given time,' estimated Diller Scofidio + Renfro co-founding partner Elizabeth Diller at the Storehouse's opening. 'The other 97% is hidden away in the basement, or off-site in a warehouse. As museums accumulate more and more collections, the proportion of works on display is just going to diminish over time unless we build new wings to accommodate more stuff.' For the V&A, thousands of artefacts previously relegated to deep storage are now finally seeing the light — with some works, as is the case with the awe-inspiring Altamira ceiling (a gilded softwood ceiling originating from Toledo, Spain and dating back to the late 15th century), they are being seen for the first time in decades. Similarly, the dazzling 10-meter-high recreation of Picasso's 'Two Women Running along the Beach (The Race) (1922)' painted by Prince Alexander Sharvashidze is being shown for the first time in over 10 years. The front cloth, used by a travelling ballet company in 1924, was even signed by Picasso himself. These collections belong to the public. And it's just incredible that we can enable access. Kate Parsons, the V&A's director of conservation, collections care and access The result is akin to a big, artisanal IKEA (unmissable is the pleasant smell of wood, likely emanating from one of the many ancient chest of drawers — the oldest dating back to 1410) or in the eyes of Diller, a cabinet of curiosities. 'The V&A's collection is eccentric in the first place,' she said. 'Where else would you encounter suits of armors, stage cloths, biscuit tins, building fragments, puppets, thimbles, chandeliers, motorcycles next to each other?' Instead of alphabetising, or organizing based on strict chronology, Diller decided to 'lean into the delirium' — placing items that spanned across medium, time periods and geographical location right next to one another. 'It's a 16th century form of display,' she explained. 'Which was more for private collections, but (they) also would put delirious things together.' As expected, lifting the menagerie of items right off the shelf is prohibited — this is not actually an IKEA, after all — but touching, surprisingly, is not entirely off-limits. Visitors keen to hold a centuries-old shoe in their own hands need only take the time to log on and book a slot at the Storehouse's on-site Research Center . There, invigilators and conservationists are on-hand to teach the public how to properly handle culturally significant works. The online booking portal has been open since 13 May, with the V&A already reportedly receiving requests from curious members of the public, ranging from avid researchers to brides-to-be looking for wedding dress inspiration. So far, the most requested item is a fuchsia 1957 Cristobal Balenciaga gown. Laid out in the Research Center, the frock's silk taffeta looks almost iridescent up close. Breathing near it feels inconsiderate — but Kate Parsons, director of conservation, collections care and access at the V&A, reassured there is climate control across the facility, keeping the Storehouse at between 16 and 25 degrees centigrade and 40-60% humidity, as per international standards, along with a variety of methods that tie down or secure items to the viewing table. Still, is she nervous about putting these invaluable items in the hands of the public? 'No. Not at all,' she told CNN. 'We've thought very carefully about the robustness of the object.' 'These collections belong to the public. And it's just incredible that we can enable access.'
CNN
28-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- CNN
In this museum space, the objects are yours to touch
From 31 May, one of the world's largest art and design museums is offering the public not just a rare peek behind the curtain, but a chance for visitors to poke about, see up close — and touch — historical and culturally significant pieces. The V&A Storehouse East — a new museum-grade storage facility turned exhibition and research space in London — is a project over 10 years in the making, and one that aims to reframe the traditional museum experience. Spread across four mighty floors (though only three are accessible to the public), there are over 250,000 objects, ranging from Roman frescoes and an early 14th century Simone Martini painting to avant-garde fashion and couture from the likes of Schiaparelli, Comme des Garçons and Vivienne Westwood. The open access offered to visitors turns museum conventions on its head, where works on display are usually roped off, guarded and therefore only admired from a distance. 'This is real back-of-house museum work,' said the V&A East Storehouse's senior curator Georgina Haseldine, standing in front of rows and rows of priceless objects — from paintings by Margaret Sarah Carpenter to 18th century hunting swords — ahead of its public opening. 'We want visitors to learn what a collection is, how we store it… How colleagues work across the museum, from conservators to the technical service team.' Designed by American interdisciplinary design studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the space includes a central hall reaching 20 meters high. From all directions, rows of metal shelves housing furniture, artworks, mannequins and more stretch outwards. Here, visitors can peer up or down from the upper floors. With so much to see, it is easy to feel engulfed by the sheer volume of items in possession. 'On average, only 3% of a museum's collection is on display at any given time,' estimated Diller Scofidio + Renfro co-founding partner Elizabeth Diller at the Storehouse's opening. 'The other 97% is hidden away in the basement, or off-site in a warehouse. As museums accumulate more and more collections, the proportion of works on display is just going to diminish over time unless we build new wings to accommodate more stuff.' For the V&A, thousands of artefacts previously relegated to deep storage are now finally seeing the light — with some works, as is the case with the awe-inspiring Altamira ceiling (a gilded softwood ceiling originating from Toledo, Spain and dating back to the late 15th century), they are being seen for the first time in decades. Similarly, the dazzling 10-meter-high recreation of Picasso's 'Two Women Running along the Beach (The Race) (1922)' painted by Prince Alexander Sharvashidze is being shown for the first time in over 10 years. The front cloth, used by a travelling ballet company in 1924, was even signed by Picasso himself. These collections belong to the public. And it's just incredible that we can enable access. Kate Parsons, the V&A's director of conservation, collections care and access The result is akin to a big, artisanal IKEA (unmissable is the pleasant smell of wood, likely emanating from one of the many ancient chest of drawers — the oldest dating back to 1410) or in the eyes of Diller, a cabinet of curiosities. 'The V&A's collection is eccentric in the first place,' she said. 'Where else would you encounter suits of armors, stage cloths, biscuit tins, building fragments, puppets, thimbles, chandeliers, motorcycles next to each other?' Instead of alphabetising, or organizing based on strict chronology, Diller decided to 'lean into the delirium' — placing items that spanned across medium, time periods and geographical location right next to one another. 'It's a 16th century form of display,' she explained. 'Which was more for private collections, but (they) also would put delirious things together.' As expected, lifting the menagerie of items right off the shelf is prohibited — this is not actually an IKEA, after all — but touching, surprisingly, is not entirely off-limits. Visitors keen to hold a centuries-old shoe in their own hands need only take the time to log on and book a slot at the Storehouse's on-site Research Center . There, invigilators and conservationists are on-hand to teach the public how to properly handle culturally significant works. The online booking portal has been open since 13 May, with the V&A already reportedly receiving requests from curious members of the public, ranging from avid researchers to brides-to-be looking for wedding dress inspiration. So far, the most requested item is a fuchsia 1957 Cristobal Balenciaga gown. Laid out in the Research Center, the frock's silk taffeta looks almost iridescent up close. Breathing near it feels inconsiderate — but Kate Parsons, director of conservation, collections care and access at the V&A, reassured there is climate control across the facility, keeping the Storehouse at between 16 and 25 degrees centigrade and 40-60% humidity, as per international standards, along with a variety of methods that tie down or secure items to the viewing table. Still, is she nervous about putting these invaluable items in the hands of the public? 'No. Not at all,' she told CNN. 'We've thought very carefully about the robustness of the object.' 'These collections belong to the public. And it's just incredible that we can enable access.'
CNN
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
In this museum space, the objects are yours to touch
From 31 May, one of the world's largest art and design museums is offering the public not just a rare peek behind the curtain, but a chance for visitors to poke about, see up close — and touch — historical and culturally significant pieces. The V&A Storehouse East — a new museum-grade storage facility turned exhibition and research space in London — is a project over 10 years in the making, and one that aims to reframe the traditional museum experience. Spread across four mighty floors (though only three are accessible to the public), there are over 250,000 objects, ranging from Roman frescoes and an early 14th century Simone Martini painting to avant-garde fashion and couture from the likes of Schiaparelli, Comme des Garçons and Vivienne Westwood. The open access offered to visitors turns museum conventions on its head, where works on display are usually roped off, guarded and therefore only admired from a distance. 'This is real back-of-house museum work,' said the V&A East Storehouse's senior curator Georgina Haseldine, standing in front of rows and rows of priceless objects — from paintings by Margaret Sarah Carpenter to 18th century hunting swords — ahead of its public opening. 'We want visitors to learn what a collection is, how we store it… How colleagues work across the museum, from conservators to the technical service team.' Designed by American interdisciplinary design studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the space includes a central hall reaching 20 meters high. From all directions, rows of metal shelves housing furniture, artworks, mannequins and more stretch outwards. Here, visitors can peer up or down from the upper floors. With so much to see, it is easy to feel engulfed by the sheer volume of items in possession. 'On average, only 3% of a museum's collection is on display at any given time,' estimated Diller Scofidio + Renfro co-founding partner Elizabeth Diller at the Storehouse's opening. 'The other 97% is hidden away in the basement, or off-site in a warehouse. As museums accumulate more and more collections, the proportion of works on display is just going to diminish over time unless we build new wings to accommodate more stuff.' For the V&A, thousands of artefacts previously relegated to deep storage are now finally seeing the light — with some works, as is the case with the awe-inspiring Altamira ceiling (a gilded softwood ceiling originating from Toledo, Spain and dating back to the late 15th century), they are being seen for the first time in decades. Similarly, the dazzling 10-meter-high recreation of Picasso's 'Two Women Running along the Beach (The Race) (1922)' painted by Prince Alexander Sharvashidze is being shown for the first time in over 10 years. The front cloth, used by a travelling ballet company in 1924, was even signed by Picasso himself. These collections belong to the public. And it's just incredible that we can enable access. Kate Parsons, the V&A's director of conservation, collections care and access The result is akin to a big, artisanal IKEA (unmissable is the pleasant smell of wood, likely emanating from one of the many ancient chest of drawers — the oldest dating back to 1410) or in the eyes of Diller, a cabinet of curiosities. 'The V&A's collection is eccentric in the first place,' she said. 'Where else would you encounter suits of armors, stage cloths, biscuit tins, building fragments, puppets, thimbles, chandeliers, motorcycles next to each other?' Instead of alphabetising, or organizing based on strict chronology, Diller decided to 'lean into the delirium' — placing items that spanned across medium, time periods and geographical location right next to one another. 'It's a 16th century form of display,' she explained. 'Which was more for private collections, but (they) also would put delirious things together.' As expected, lifting the menagerie of items right off the shelf is prohibited — this is not actually an IKEA, after all — but touching, surprisingly, is not entirely off-limits. Visitors keen to hold a centuries-old shoe in their own hands need only take the time to log on and book a slot at the Storehouse's on-site Research Center . There, invigilators and conservationists are on-hand to teach the public how to properly handle culturally significant works. The online booking portal has been open since 13 May, with the V&A already reportedly receiving requests from curious members of the public, ranging from avid researchers to brides-to-be looking for wedding dress inspiration. So far, the most requested item is a fuchsia 1957 Cristobal Balenciaga gown. Laid out in the Research Center, the frock's silk taffeta looks almost iridescent up close. Breathing near it feels inconsiderate — but Kate Parsons, director of conservation, collections care and access at the V&A, reassured there is climate control across the facility, keeping the Storehouse at between 16 and 25 degrees centigrade and 40-60% humidity, as per international standards, along with a variety of methods that tie down or secure items to the viewing table. Still, is she nervous about putting these invaluable items in the hands of the public? 'No. Not at all,' she told CNN. 'We've thought very carefully about the robustness of the object.' 'These collections belong to the public. And it's just incredible that we can enable access.'
