Unlock the Vault: London’s V&A Lets You Pick the Exhibit

In a global first, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has unveiled the Storehouse, a revolutionary new space where the public can access over 250,000 objects, many of which have never been displayed before.

Housed in a converted warehouse from the London 2012 Olympic site, the facility offers visitors the chance to explore a fifth of the museum’s total collection, spanning from centuries-old pottery and textiles to modern design pieces.

Unlike traditional exhibitions, visitors can browse shelves filled with historical artifacts and even request specific items for private viewing, without protective glass or display cases.

This initiative is free and open seven days a week, with bookings available online. Items range from Tudor-era toys and Frank Lloyd Wright interiors to couture fashion and ancient instruments.

The V&A Storehouse redefines the museum experience by offering a hands-on, personalized approach to cultural engagement. This move also responds to ongoing calls for museums to democratize access to their collections, moving beyond passive observation.

The Storehouse is already being hailed as a model for the future of public museums, interactive, transparent, and deeply immersive.