V&A - Victoria and Albert Museum
V&A - Victoria and Albert Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:45 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:45 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:45 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:45 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:45 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:45 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:45 PM
About
The world's greatest museum of art and design.The V&A's collections are unrivalled in their diversity. Explore historical and contemporary art and design, including works of art from many of the world's richest cultures. Admission free.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Knightsbridge
When millions of tourists want to shop 'til they drop, they do it along Brompton Road and its boutique-lined tributaries, including the world-renowned Harrods. And when millionaires want to flaunt what they've already got, many of them find Knightsbridge and Belgravia the perfect place to do so, often behind stately mansion walls or down quiet private mews. Delve beyond the ultra-luxe exterior and you'll find some of this city's cosiest pubs, quiet gardens, and all sorts of indie retailers and enterprises worth a short exercise in spontaneous window shopping. For those looking to take a break from shopping, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, and some of the city's most popular museums are nearby.
How to get there
- Gloucester Road • 10 min walk
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Restaurants
8,435 within 3 miles
Attractions
2,255 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- jmk235 contributionsamazingExcellent museum. There are so many free museums in London, and you just don't have enough time to see everything. Top quality museum for sure and make sure you have plenty of time to see. I thought it is just a small museum and didn't realize there are so much to see.Visited March 2023Written April 23, 2023
- CaraMiaNew York City, New York217 contributionsAmazingly beautiful building and collection!This was a second visit for me, a first for my husband. Honestly, I'd come back here even more times to see the very thoughtfully assembled and displayed exhibits and the very beautiful building in which they are housed. We also had a delicious lunch in what must be the most gorgeous dining room of any museum!Visited April 2023Written April 30, 2023
- Mark CSydney, Australia117 contributionsExcellent day at the V&AAwesome day out. We took the general guided tour with Julia, she was excellent and we then walked around for a few hours and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Free entry, we didn't have to check bags. There were charges for some exhibits but it was reasonably priced. By far the best museum in London.Visited May 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten May 4, 2023
- Judy ALondon, United Kingdom7 contributionsTerrific free “Treasures of Europe” tour by V&A Guide Jeremy Strachan45 minutes focusing on a select few items. Jeremy explained historical context with fascinating details and charming anecdotes. Free tours are held daily with various themes. No need to book, just check the programme and wait at the Tour Meeting Point in the main foyer to meet a Guide.Visited May 2023Traveled with friendsWritten May 6, 2023
- BartonbearsCoffs Harbour, Australia1,972 contributionsOutstanding National TreasureWe came to the V & A after finding the queue to another museum stretching around the block. Expecting a similar crowd, we were delighted to be able to enter immediately. It was an advantage having no plan or expectations as we simply wandered and discovered wonderful galleries we hadn't seen previously. We spent several hours in the museum and loved every minute. We'd certainly recommend it to anyone with curiosity and an enquiring mind.Visited April 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten May 8, 2023
- StephNew Zealand12 contributionsAhhh historic lovelinessThere are a broadly eclectic and special collection of exhibits on display at V&A’s (as its colloquially known), all very much worth seeing. The museum is roomy and although it was busy, it never felt crowded. Make the most of it and enjoy it over plenty of time.Visited May 2023Traveled soloWritten May 11, 2023
- gohawkersMelbourne, Australia112 contributionsoutstanding museumthe victoria and albert museum is a must see experience. from an intended short visit we ended up staying all day. the museum is so spacious and spread out. it can't be rushed. a range of free tours are also conducted. we ended up doing three and all were excellent and carried out by knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteers. highly recommended.Visited April 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten May 11, 2023
- jansjourneysRockaway, New Jersey776 contributionsOne of the worlds great museums!This is one of the best museums I have been to in the world and it is FREE except for special exhibits. We weren’t interested in the 2 on our visit, but rest assured you could spend hours or days here regardless. There are many huge rooms of exhibits! The place is clean and quiet too.Visited May 2023Traveled with friendsWritten May 13, 2023
- Stanley SWinter Garden, Florida548 contributionsA great underrated museumStill a hidden gem and great museum. It is so underrated. I particularly enjoy that there are so may different arts and histories represented here. The variety of pieces and exhibits are truly staggering. One area of note is the beautiful cafe Make sure you go into the ornate rooms and admire the artistry of the room itself and ignore the outer seating area or go outside to sit by the wading (not for wading) pool and enjoy a warm day when the sun finally comes out. I highly recommend V&A as it is one my five most favorite museums in the world. Take your time, marvel at the glass, wonder at the statuary, check out the paintings and meander;its free!Visited May 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten May 18, 2023
- Laurie D36 contributionsBest museum I have visited in England!What a fabulous musem! A must see while visting London. The cafe food was fabulous and inexpensive. If I worked in the area I would eat there everyday. We allowed three hours for our visit and didn't even cover half of one floor! We will definitely be going back again and again. Lots of local dining options in the area. I highly recommend Good Earth Chinese for dinner and L'ETO Tea Room for dessert!Visited May 2023Written May 24, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
32,899 reviews
Excellent
24,140
Very good
6,727
Average
1,484
Poor
352
Terrible
196
HenryV1824
Shrewsbury, UK129 contributions
Jan 2020
Dropped in for a quick 2 hours before going to another exhibition in the afternoon. Skating rink in full swing and packed with skaters young & old. Attendants in place to guide and well manage the long queue which despite this moved into the museum fairly quickly. Inside so many things to see. Absolutely world class and Free Entry. Could spend a month there and still not see it all. The Moon exhibition was very atmospheric and all the large animals and whales etc were keeping everyone enthralled. The central cafe worked reasonably well and despite the overall crowds we were served and found a table in a relatively short time. Cake and snack prices were high, but there is a separate picnic area for those who may have brought their own food. Overall stay as long as you can as so many interesting and educational exhibits.
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heather87
714 contributions
Nov 2019
Victoria and Albert Museum is the ultimate experience for art and history buffs, architect and design enthusiasts and fashion mavens alike. It’s a huge museum, too, so you want to do your research online in advance and cherry pick over what you want to see.
I went with my father and older brother (Trip Advisor, for the umpteenth time PLEASE fix the ‘family’ option) last November. They’re very interested in Medieval history and weapons and swordcraft; I really appreciate the craftsmanship of weapons like swords and armour. For these reasons, we decided to focus on the Medieval collections. I was blown away by the amazing craftsmanship of furniture, weapons and armour from the time. Carpenters and blacksmiths were definitely masters of their work. Tapestries were pretty amazing, too, especially to have survived all these centuries.
Of course there are plenty of other things to see, including fashion, paintings, pottery and sculptures to mention a few. Not just from Europe but China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia.
Apart from the exhibits, one of the reasons I’ve rated the V&A 5 stars is because the staff are really helpful. They took the time to gage our interests, direct us to the right areas and point out things we might have otherwise missed. Another reason is that while visitors are encouraged to give donations for the upkeep, entry to the museum is free making it very affordable for people from all backgrounds.
Finally, I’d like to mention the gift shop: I love to buy souvenirs and gifts from museums because they often sell things that are a bit unusual. I was particularly impressed with the range of artists and craftspeople whose items they sold and found a few nice things for both myself and others. I was particularly impressed with the jewellery range.
I went with my father and older brother (Trip Advisor, for the umpteenth time PLEASE fix the ‘family’ option) last November. They’re very interested in Medieval history and weapons and swordcraft; I really appreciate the craftsmanship of weapons like swords and armour. For these reasons, we decided to focus on the Medieval collections. I was blown away by the amazing craftsmanship of furniture, weapons and armour from the time. Carpenters and blacksmiths were definitely masters of their work. Tapestries were pretty amazing, too, especially to have survived all these centuries.
Of course there are plenty of other things to see, including fashion, paintings, pottery and sculptures to mention a few. Not just from Europe but China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia.
Apart from the exhibits, one of the reasons I’ve rated the V&A 5 stars is because the staff are really helpful. They took the time to gage our interests, direct us to the right areas and point out things we might have otherwise missed. Another reason is that while visitors are encouraged to give donations for the upkeep, entry to the museum is free making it very affordable for people from all backgrounds.
Finally, I’d like to mention the gift shop: I love to buy souvenirs and gifts from museums because they often sell things that are a bit unusual. I was particularly impressed with the range of artists and craftspeople whose items they sold and found a few nice things for both myself and others. I was particularly impressed with the jewellery range.
Written August 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary H
Aston, UK21 contributions
Jan 2020
We came to see the Mary Quant exhibition, and also decided to drop in on the Tim Walker exhibition too. Both were excellent and well worth a visit! If you travel by train to London you can get two for one on tickets here and other galleries and museums in London too. Have seen many exhibitions here and they never disappoint, always very well laid out and clearly labelled. Cafe is beautiful as well!
Written January 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Catador8
6 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
I went last week for the Cars exhibition in Victoria and Albert museum and is was the most disappointed exhibition of cars I saw in my life. Starting for £18 tickets In the exhibition you can see around 10-15 cars and I understand the idea about they want to show the evolution of the cars in the history but few pictures and draws don't explain too much. I finish in 15-20 minutes to see everything and honestly I was looking forward to assist to this exposition but unfortunately I can't recommend. Apart from this I think Victoria and Albert is a beautiful and nice museum.
Written March 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
London Steve
1 contribution
Sep 2020
The queue to enter the V&A was well managed but once inside the Kimono exhibition there was a complete lack of social distancing and the staff on duty didn't do anything to manage the situation. Apart from small direction signs on the floor it doesn't appear that the layout of the exhibition has been modified at all, which leads people bunching up especially at corners. There were many times people crouded around me and seemed completed oblivious of the need to maintain social distancing or an ability to follow the direction signs. Unless the V&A improve their management of visitors to this wonderfull exhibition I'd recommend wearing full PPE.
Written September 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JonShanahan
San Antonio, TX8 contributions
Mar 2020 • Solo
I’d heard about the V & A for years but always was sidetracked during my other trips to London. This time I made a special effort and was swept off my feet at the scope and character of its exhibits and facilities. Walking down one hall I was suddenly thunderstruck by the view of Trajan’s Column - a full size replica. It is amazing - truly amazing - to see that & a full size replica of Michelangelo’s David; with Bernini’s & Donatello’s renditions, all clustered together. Other works of classical art are there as well. Art history majors rejoice, lol!
The dining hall itself is a work of art and the food was fresh and reasonably priced. Everything worked together for a wonderful experience, one that you will not regret taking the time to include in a visit to London, my very favorite city.
The dining hall itself is a work of art and the food was fresh and reasonably priced. Everything worked together for a wonderful experience, one that you will not regret taking the time to include in a visit to London, my very favorite city.
Written March 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pinayaq
Dayton, OH118 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Plan to spend hours in this wonderfully massive museum! Admission is free which makes it popular among tourists and locals alike. They have a great array of art, sculptures, furniture, linens and many more from every country and continent; from different ages. There is a coat check area for bags if you don’t feel like lugging bags while walking around. You are allowed to take pictures inside. There are a lot of stairs but there are also elevators for ease of accessibility.
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HazelandRachel
Manchester, UK46 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
Firstly we have to recognise that it's COVID time so some things are different to usual but I cannot understand why so much of the V and A was closed off. Two whole floors not open. All the leaflets about the exhibits had been removed, there were no maps and it was a real struggle to find anything. In addition because of the work being done to remodel you'd arrive at a staircase to find it was closed off meaning you have to retrace steps around this maze of a building to find another staircase and also meaning that on more than one occasion you end up starting a collection at the wrong end. Children had paper maps, why can't the adults? Why can't the volunteers hand out paper information sheets about collections? Yes I am a aware there is an app but it was pretty poor and unhelpful as it needed to be enlarged to see anything. As expected the cafe was gold plated prices - 2 coffees a bottle of water and a scone was £21. Outside the cost of some people's weekly food shop. Finally when we booked on line we hold have been informed that there were no locker or cloakroom facilities (other places are still offering this) and that floors are closed. It's the V and A so of course it was good but C+ and not A* this time.
Written October 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Theresa C
8 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
Whilst the content of the exhibition is outstanding and beautifully curated. There are a few downfalls with attending this or indeed any exhibition at the V & A these days. Firstly the overcrowding, it’s great that the museum is so popular but despite buying timed tickets, it is far too crowded. This is made much, much worse by the people wearing rucksacks. Then there are the people who conduct loud conversations on their mobiles. Far worse, those who come in and wander round having a full blown conversation detailing the minutiae of their lives. So please V & A look into this. Make visitors leave their rucksacks in the cloakroom. Tell people to lower their voices. Regulate the number of visitors allowed in.
Now for the cafe. This is one of the most beautiful places to sit and eat in London. However, there are simply not enough tills. The queues to pay are ridiculous and if you have bought hot food I assure you it will be cold by the time you have managed to pay for it and find a table.
Now for the cafe. This is one of the most beautiful places to sit and eat in London. However, there are simply not enough tills. The queues to pay are ridiculous and if you have bought hot food I assure you it will be cold by the time you have managed to pay for it and find a table.
Written March 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jill S
London, UK4 contributions
Sep 2020
It was wonderful to return to the V&A after the lockdown closure. Booking in advance was easy and the museum was very peaceful with the restricted numbers rule. I was lucky to be there on a warm and sunny day so could have lunch in the sunshine in the garden. I wandered around visiting all my favourite things. Next time I will go to the jewellery gallery first as there was a queue each time I went there as restricted access due to the lack of space, but there is so much else to see that I didn't mind. And I bought a beautiful face mask from the shop! Will return soon!
Written September 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peta P
Sidcup, UK520 contributions
How long would you say it takes to go around the Diva exhibition please.
Ranu M
London, UK185 contributions
I spent 2 hours going round Diva on 2 levels, I was given headphones at the entrance, I find them hard to handle as I also wear glasses to read all print, so gave them back, and then enjoyed admiring all the exhibits. took me back to my childhood when I saw Greta Garbo, Marilyn. My current favourites are Tina Turner and Rihanna, both are well covered. On day I visited a visitor had a fall coming down steps, so please be vigilant. Enjoy
Lawrence Z
1 contribution
Traveling to London June 2023. Are there Skip the Line tickets for the V & A & if so, who do we book from?
Raphael L
Montreal, Canada23 contributions
We didn't have a line when we visited, given museums are free in London. You had to pay for an exhibition only, but there wasn't any line for us.
Hi, can you take food and drink into the V & A? Not to eat while there, but just carrying.
TeeBee
Yorkshire, UK45 contributions
Yes, as long as it is not hot food. I’m less sure about drinks.
Will the V&A Museum be open during the Jubilee weekend?
m f
116 contributions
Yes. Contact them via website for questions.
chocolatetiger66
Sheffield, UK1,214 contributions
Are there any lockers at the museum for small suitcases. We are travelling to visit family and have a few hours in London for sight seeing and would love to visit the museum but have luggage??
AndersWanders
Alexandria, VA50 contributions
You can check bags in the cloakroom but they charge . Bags up to 56cm x 45cm x 21cm for £3 each. Other items are £1 & £5 each coats, prams/ large bags.
Is entrance to Quant Exhibition from Cromwell Street or another location at the Museum?
Fleurbarnes
London, UK19 contributions
Entrance to Quant is via the Cromwell Road entrance to the museum.
How do I find out the correct entrance to the Mary Quant exhibition. I have already bought tickets
mcg26
Greater London, UK38 contributions
Go through the gift shop from the main entrance & then turn left.
What are the requirements needed once you travel to London.
Residing at Doha Qatar, Philippines nationality.
bohogirl
Warminster, UK146 contributions
Yes you need to go to Brit embassy in Doha and get visa for UK visit- good luck.
greyfox724
Haverford, PA
your website says tickets are available from 8 AM to 8:45 AM Aug 25th is that correct? I am coming from the US to see this exhibit. Please let me know that these early morning hours are correct as soon as possible.
thank you
Elizabeth
SeaCat2013
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK45 contributions
Hi
There are only limited tickets nd the Dior collection is sold out
Best just to join you can access any display as a member and use multiple times
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Claim your listingV&A - Victoria and Albert Museum - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about V&A - Victoria and Albert Museum
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