History of the V&A
The Victoria and Albert Museum's collections span two thousand years of art in virtually every medium, from many parts of the world. Visitors to the museum encounter a treasure house of amazing and beautiful objects.
The Museum was established in 1852, following the enormous success of the Great Exhibition the previous year. Its founding principle was to make works of art available to all, to educate the working people and to inspire British designers and manufacturers. Profits from the Exhibition were used to establish the Museum of Manufacturers, as it was initially known, and exhibits were purchased to form the basis of its collections.
The Museum moved to its present site in 1857 and was renamed the South Kensington Museum. Led by innovation, a high-tech gas lighting system enabled the museum to stay open until 10pm, three nights a week to attract the working man to the contemplation of art and design.
A pioneering photographic studio was created. As the new Museum was erected, the stages of development were recorded photographically. There can be no major building so well visually documented in the 19th century as that of the V&A. The studio catalogued the Museum’s new acquisitions. The library of pictures, now known as V&A Images was established.
The Museum’s collections expanded rapidly as it set out to acquire the best examples of metalwork, furniture, textiles and all other forms of decorative art from all periods. It also acquired fine art, paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture, in order to tell a more complete story of art and design.
In 1899, Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone of a new building designed to give the Museum a grand façade and main entrance. To mark the occasion, it was renamed the Victoria and Albert Museum, in memory of the enthusiastic support Prince Albert had given to its foundation.
Throughout the 20th century, the collections continued to grow. While expanding its historical holdings, the V&A also maintained its acquisition of contemporary objects. The new millennium saw the opening of the British Galleries and the start of the Future Plan Project.
