Discover Young V&A: A New Museum for Children in Bethnal Green

Are you looking for a fun and educational place to visit with your children in London? If so, you will love Young V&A, a new museum that opened in Bethnal Green in 2023. Young V&A is a museum where children and families can explore their creativity and learn about art and design. It is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum family, which also includes the V&A Museum of Childhood in South Kensington. In this blog post, we will tell you more about what Young V&A has to offer and how you can plan your visit.

If you’re looking for an East End museum that will really engage the kids, or fancy taking a trip down memory lane to your own childhood, then a visit to the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green is a must.

Young V&A Museum, Bethnal Green.
Young V&A Museum, Bethnal Green.

What is Young V&A?

Young V&A is a new museum that will be located in the former Bethnal Green Museum building, which was built in 1872. The building was originally a branch of the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A), which aimed to bring art and design education to the masses. It displayed objects from various cultures and periods, such as ceramics, textiles, metalwork, and furniture.

In 1974, the building became the V&A Museum of Childhood, which focused on the social and material history of childhood. It displayed toys, games, dolls, costumes, and other objects related to children’s lives from the 16th century to the present day. It also hosted exhibitions, events, and activities for children and families.

In 2023, the building reopened as Young V&A, after a £13 million transformation project. The project refurbished and modernised the building, creating new galleries and spaces, and showcaseing new objects from the V&A collection. The project will also involve children and young people in co-designing and co-curating the museum.

What can you see and do at Young V&A?

Young V&A has three new permanent galleries that explore the themes of imagination, play and design. These galleries will showcase 2000 objects from the V&A collection that relate to childhood, play, and creativity. The objects will date back 5000 years and come from different parts of the world. They will include art, design, performance, fashion, technology, and more.

The Imagine gallery will inspire children to use their imagination and express themselves through storytelling. It will feature objects such as puppets, masks, costumes, books, comics, and films. It will also have interactive stations where children can create their own stories and characters.

View across the Town Square at Young V&A. Image by Picture Plane. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
View across the Town Square at Young V&A. Image by Picture Plane. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The Play gallery will encourage children to have fun and learn through play. It will feature objects such as toys, games, puzzles, sports equipment, musical instruments, and playgrounds. It will also have play zones where children can play with different materials and technologies.

The Design gallery will enable children to explore their creativity and innovation through design. It will feature objects such as models, prototypes, sketches, tools, and products. It will also have design labs where children can design and make their own objects using digital and physical tools.

Young V&A offers a range of events and activities for children and families throughout the year. These will include:

  • Exhibitions that showcase contemporary art and design by children and young people
  • Workshops that teach children new skills and techniques in art and design
  • Festivals that celebrate different cultures and traditions through art and design
  • Performances that showcase music, dance, theatre, and comedy by children and young people
  • Talks that introduce children to inspiring artists and designers from different fields
  • Clubs that provide opportunities for children to join groups of like-minded peers and pursue their interests in art and design

Young V&A will also have a café where you can enjoy delicious food and drinks, a shop where you can buy souvenirs and gifts related to art and design, and a garden where you can relax and enjoy nature.

How to Visit Young V&A

Young V&A is located on Cambridge Heath Road in Bethnal Green, London E2 9PA. It will be close to Bethnal Green Underground Station, which is on the Central Line. It will also be accessible by bus, bike or car.

Young V&A opened on 1st July 2023. Admission is free for everyone. Members of the V&A will also enjoy exclusive benefits such as priority access, discounts at the café and shop, and invitations to special events.

You can sign up for the Young V&A newsletter to get updates on the museum’s progress, collections, exhibitions, and events. You can also follow Young V&A on social media to see behind-the-scenes photos, and videos.

The V&A Museum of Childhood

The museum originally opened in 1872 as the Bethnal Green Museum – at this point, it was a general museum designed to bring cultural education to the local East End population. It contained food and animal products from the Great Exhibition, some 18th century French art and, over time, an increasing number of gifts that had been given to the Royal family.

History of the Museum of Childhood

In the 1920s, a new curator, Arthur Sabin, noticed that the museum was popular with children, and he started to reorganise it to make it more child-friendly. He set up a classroom and started to show more child-orientated exhibits. Queen Mary helped with this by donating some of her own toys to the museum.

From the 1970s, this child focus took over the general museum and it was renamed as the Museum of Childhood. It became the home of all of the V&A’s childhood exhibits and has continued to add to its collections ever since.

Museum of Childhood Map


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8 thoughts on “Discover Young V&A: A New Museum for Children in Bethnal Green”

  1. St Leonards was pulled down in the 1990’s and is now a housing estate. However the buildings have attempted to resemble the old buildings and have done so to a certain extent. Nonetheless to those that know St Leonards previously it is not the same.

    Reply
  2. I am looking for information re St Leonards Hamlet, a children’s village in Hornchurch. Searching on your website for “St Leonards” is not finding anything. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  3. I have a doll sent to me in 1942 when I was born I understand she came from Belgium, there is a mark on the back of her neck. She needs to have her eyes repaired but otherwise she is in good condition and I wondered if you are able to recommend a restorer near to where I live in Essex as I am reluctant to leave her with someone who has not been recommended

    Kind regards

    Reply
  4. I have 15 old metal blocks 2-1/4″ square. They show children playing: ice skating, rolling hoops, carolling, putting up Christmas decorations, decorating a Christmas tree, etc. Would the museum accept my donation of them? I can send pictures or, as I live in London, bring them to you.

    Reply
  5. Have you knowledge of Mrs. Mansfield, a grown-up lady doll with a straw bonnet and handbag. I received this doll in 1953. She’s gone, I would love to find her again.

    Reply
  6. Hello, I have my nannies Dolls Pram and her doll which are both looking for a permeant home to be loved, cherished and adored forever and be safe. I would be very happy to send photo’s of the pram and doll also have clothes for her.

    Reply
  7. I am selling a early Child’s learning educational board.
    On one side are the letters of the alphabet, and the other side are numbers. It is called a ‘Educational Board’.

    Still in good condition, all the numbers and letters are there.

    Would you be interested in buying this.
    Await your reply.

    Reply
  8. I live in the US and have obtained four prints of rag dolls Cora,Agnes, Sylvia , and May. They not sewed but cut apart. They are dated July 14, 1916. Printed for Her Majesty’s stationery office baby Hulbert Fabrics A.U.L
    Can you give them a value? They have been donated to a small quilt guild in Franklin Tennessee.

    Reply

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