Victoria and Albert Museum

History of the museum

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha wanted to bring arts and crafts to the British population and show how art could be applied to crafts. Craftsmen were to be inspired by the exhibition to create their own work. Exhibits from all cultures of the world are shown. Thereby the topics are varied and it is difficult for the visitor to decide which tour to take. One part of the exhibition is dedicated to Europe in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Here visitors come across, among other things, Raphael's models for the Sistine Chapel in Rome or a medieval treasure chamber with the Synmachi tablet made of ivory. Other parts of the exhibition deal with the art of Asia, musical instruments, British arts and crafts, and jewelry making. Also worth seeing is Tippoo's Tiger. The 18th-century mechanical wooden sculpture shows a tiger mauling a British soldier. An Indian sultan had this macabre toy made. You can even hear the screams and roars of the tiger.

The extensive collection is housed in a building built in 1899 by Aston Webb, to which additions have been made time and again. Nevertheless, the size of the collection was beyond the scope and parts of the museum were moved out.

Extensive museum program

The museum offers an extensive program, so courses and study days on specific topics are organized again and again. Changing exhibitions on various topics round out the V&A's offerings. One special exhibition, which runs until mid-2013, is devoted to the career of British artist David Bowie, among other things.

The V&A's collections can be visited free of charge. Separate admission fees are charged for some special exhibitions. On Friday evenings, selected parts of the museum are open for viewing until 10 pm.