Victoria & Albert

Simply one of the most breath taking collections in the world. There's no where quite like the V&A, huge and yet intimate, you could easily lose a day here and never even notice. I have loved this place for many years, even though I no longer live anywhere near London, if I wanted to visit any collection I'd go here. Founded in 1852 in South Kensinton, the collection runs to 4.5 million objects, from entire reconstructed rooms to radios and teapots. The cast gallery is a beautiful place to stop and stare in and it looks just as it did in Victoria's time. I remember when it was free to get in and felt a little aggrieved when a charge ...  Read the complete review

The Victorian age was probably the golden age of museum building. They gathered vast collections and put them in splendid buildings for the good of the public so their lives would be enriched by the knowledge they gained from these institutions. (It was also a way for the great unwashed to spend their spare time more effectively and keep them out of the pub). One of the greatest of these is the Victoria and Albert Museum (fondly known as the V &A) which is the national museum for the decorative and applied arts. It is a place I have always quite fancied visiting but have only been in London visiting Duskman and it is not a place I think he would enjoy that much. Now ...  Read the complete review

Commentary on an exhibition of original art at the V&A Museum, Print Gallery level 2, Henry Cole Wing from 31 May - 2 September, 2001. Regular readers of my ops from the Books and Magazines section of dooyoo will know by now that I do love my comic art. I don’t just mean I like reading comics, I mean I love comic art. There has always been a bit of me that’s been a little dismissive of the general consensus of opinion that says that comics are for kids and comic art isn’t real art. For me comic art contains a language and mechanics not found in any other art form and is considered as juvenile simply because of the general content rather ...  Read the complete review

The world’s foremost museum of decorative arts, the stunning V&A is appropriately housed in Aston Webb’s immense, imposing 1890 building. With almost 150 galleries to explore, it’s essential to concentrate on specific areas of interest within the Art & Design galleries (arranged thematically) and the Materials & Techniques galleries (by type of material). Among the highlights are the wonderful Japanese Gallery, the equally fine collection of Indian arts (the largest outside India), the popular Jewellery and Dress collections and the Canon Photography Gallery (home of the National Collection of the Art of Photography). There’s a great ...  Read the complete review

Going into the V&A is like suddenly finding yourself in a fantasy world. It is my favourite museum in London simply because of the sheer lunacy of the place! Going into the V&A is like being invited into the house of an eccentric collector who hasn't quite got around to sorting out his finds. My favourite areas of the museum are the costume section which features clothes from almost every era. The jewellery collection which is hidden in an inner room guarded by a security guard. The sculpture room which features copies of famous sculptures, stand next to the statue of David and feel extremely small indeed! Throw away the map you are given when you walk through the ...  Read the complete review