The Victoria and Albert Museum's collections span two thousand years of art in virtually every medium, from many parts of the world, and 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 working people and to inspire British designers and manufacturers. Profits from the Exhibition were used to establish the Museum of Manufactures, 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. Its 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 history 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 collections, the V&A also maintained its acquisition of contemporary objects, starting with a collection of Art Nouveau furniture in 1900. The Museum's ceramics, glass, textiles, dress, silver, ironwork, jewelry, furniture, sculpture, paintings, prints and photographs now span the cultures of Europe, North America, Asia and North Africa, and date from ancient times to the present day. Tourist Information
V&A Museum South Kensington Cromwell Road London SW7 2RL Phone: +44 (0)20 7942 2000 Opening Times 10:00am to 5:45pm daily 10:00am to 10:00pm Fridays (selected galleries remain open after 6:00 - please see Gallery Closures for further information) Closing commences 10 minutes before time stated Closed 24, 25 and 26 December The tunnel entrance to the V&A is open from 10:00am - 5:40pm Saturday to Thursday and 10:00am - 8:00pm on Fridays but may be closed on occasion on the advice of London Underground. Admission to the V&A is free! Some exhibitions and events carry a separate charge. For more information including current exhibitions, events, maps, and all other information, check out the official website below! Cheers!
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