New National Museum in London Designed for Families

Starting July 1, family travelers to London can enjoy Young Victoria and Albert, the United Kingdom’s new national museum specifically designed with and for young people and families. Located in London’s Bethnal Green following a three-year transformation, the new cultural destination seeks to inspire the next generation of designers, performers and practitioners.

Filled with hands-on experiences, guests of all ages, particularly children aged 0–14, will have the chance to experience sensory playscapes, a finger skateboard park and an Imagination Playground construction zone. The new museum will also feature a performance and storytelling stage, open-design studio and sandpit.

Visitors of the new museum will also explore inspiring global stories of children’s creativity alongside 2,000 highlights from the main Victoria and Albert Museum’s art, design and performance collection. These highlights include everything from Hokusai to Keith Haring, Micro Scooter to Minecraft, and Superheroes to Surrealists.

An interactive Minecraft installation in the Play Gallery’s game design space takes visitors across real and imaginary worlds created by Minecraft players around the world, while murals by street artist Mark Malarko await visitors to explore within Weavers Adventure Playground.

The new museum’s first exhibition, Japan: Myths to Manga, opens Oct. 14 and will showcase Studio Ghibli, Pokémon, manga-inspired fashion and more. This exhibition explores Japanese history and delves into how landscape and folklore influenced popular culture, technology and design.

“Children and young people have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic and its aftermath, alongside the dramatic fall in creative education in schools,” said Dr. Tristram Hunt, director, Victoria and Albert Museum. “Young V&A is our response: a flagship project investing in creativity with and for young people and their futures. We are using our stunning collection of art, design and performance to open the nation’s favorite design club for all children and young people. In new galleries and exhibitions, from early years spaces to teenage games design rooms, our plan is to foster Britain’s next generation of artists, thinkers, makers, innovators, and entrepreneurs.”