Imagine a cabinet of curiosities, only the cabinet is a 16,000-square-meter facility and the curiosities are artifacts spanning centuries and nearly every conceivable creative medium.
That’s the V&A East Storehouse. Housed in the former 2012 Olympics Broadcast Centre in Stratford, East London and designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the Storehouse, opening May 31, grants public access to more than half a million objects, 350,000 books, and 1,000 archives—many of which were previously stored out of sight. But more than that, the Storehouse lays bare the day-to-day operations usually hidden from view, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes look at technicians and technology responsible for preserving this vast collection.
Credit: Hufton + Crow
A dramatic hallway carved directly through dense storage racks leads visitors from the building’s street-level entrance into the soaring Weston Collections Hall. Conservation studios outfitted with glass overlooks and mobile cameras allow conservators to demonstrate their techniques in real time.
When it’s safe to do so, staff open threshold gates so visitors can get closer to the action. The design also features cantilevered shelves that extend into public areas to showcase a rotating array of objects.
Hands-on learning is also central to the Storehouse’s mission. Visitors can drop in for “Object Encounters,” intimate sessions led by the Collections Access team, or take control with “Order an Object”—a booking system that allows guests to select and study items of personal interest, from couture fashion to ancient textiles.
Credit: Hufton + CrowCaption: Picasso’s stage cloth from Ballets Russe Le Train Bleu, the artist’s largest work, is on display for the first time in a decade in the David and Molly Lowell Borthwick Gallery.
“V&A East Storehouse is a completely new cultural experience—and your backstage pass to the V&A, transforming how you access your national collections on a scale unimaginable until now,” says Tim Reeve, V&A deputy director and COO.
The Weston Collections Hall features six monumental objects—many not seen in decades due to their size—now on display thanks to extensive conservation and intricate installation work by the V&A’s Technical Services team. Highlights include:
- The Kaufmann Office (1930s) – The only complete Frank Lloyd Wright interior outside the United States.
- A 15th-century Spanish ceiling – A carved and gilded masterpiece from the now-lost Torrijos Palace near Toledo.
- The Frankfurt Kitchen – A full-scale model of Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky’s pioneering design that revolutionized 20th-century kitchens.
- A Robin Hood Gardens fragment – A preserved piece of the iconic East London housing estate.
- The Agra Colonnade (17th century) – A striking example of Mughal architecture from the bathhouse of Agra Fort.
- Picasso’s Le Train Bleu stage cloth – The largest work by Picasso, a monumental theatre backdrop measuring over 10 by 11 meters, rarely displayed since its 1924 debut.
Credit: Hufton + Crow
Participatory cultural programs are also in the mix. On June 7, the Storehouse will host back2back: Archival Bodies, a building-wide event featuring DJ sets, installations, and performances that explore themes of intimacy, care, and trust.
A Life in the Work of Others, a new series where artists and designers reflect on the work that has shaped their creative journeys, beginning with Turner Prize-winner Jasleen Kaur on June 26. Other events will offer in-depth looks at creative processes and encourage public engagement with the collections.
