Personalized Artifacts Experience at V&A East Storehouse

Most museums enforce a strict no-touching policy. However, the V&A East Storehouse in London offers a unique experience where visitors can physically interact with artifacts, which include vintage clothing, modern design objects, and ancient musical instruments.

Opened just a year ago, the Storehouse serves as an extension of the Victoria and Albert Museum, a renowned institution dedicated to applied and decorative arts. Due to limited exhibition space at the museum’s main site in West London, there was a need to house more than 400,000 artifacts not currently on display, ranging from artworks to antique furniture and intricate armor.

Instead of constructing a standard storage facility, the museum chose to create a space providing extraordinary public access to its collections, according to Kate Parsons, the museum’s director of conservation, collections care, and access. This innovative facility allows individuals to explore the aisles and view items showcased on shelves. Additionally, visitors can employ the Order an Object service to schedule a direct encounter with specific artifacts.

Each item in the Storehouse has been evaluated by conservators, ensuring that they are safe for handling by the public. Where items are deemed too fragile to touch, museum staff either display them in a manner allowing up-close observation or guide visitors to sturdier objects.

The V&A East Storehouse is now home to innumerable treasures not exhibited at the main site, fostering an interactive and educational environment for anyone interested in the museum’s vast collections.