Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington and Chelsea

I really wanted to like the Victoria and Albert Museum, but sadly, it didn’t quite live up to the hype — and not just because of the art. Let’s start with the staff. Oh boy. They were like museum robots with a side of attitude. When I asked a simple question about the exhibits, I got a look like I’d just asked them to solve world peace. Seriously, what’s the point of hiring staff if they act like they’re too important to help you? Then there was the whole "disciplining my children" situation. Apparently, whispering in a museum is a punishable offense. The staff member tried to play the authority figure when my kids were quietly chatting, but once I stepped in and told them to back off, they literally ran and hid. A bit of a cowardly move, honestly. As for the museum itself, wow, overwhelming isn’t the half of it. The ceramics floor was nice, sure, but it felt like it took up the whole building. I get it, pottery is important, but after an hour of trying to convince my kids that "vases" are thrilling, I was pretty ready to bolt. In the end, the only thing exciting about leaving was stepping out into the rainy London weather — at least I got some fresh air! This museum might be free to enter, but I’d argue that’s about the only positive. It’s a long, tedious stroll through exhibits that, quite frankly, felt more like a test of patience than a cultural enrichment experience. If you’re looking for a fun day out, I’d suggest trying literally anything else.

My fav museum! It’s massive and you see something new every time.

Easy to find, lots to see and free admission. The perfect place to spend a few hours.

A must visit. Very interesting museum.

The moghul empire was fantastic well worth visiting

Dive into the feast of sculptures

Beautiful, not many people to spend time walking and seeing so many other art works.

When VA do something, they really do it. The Naomi exhibition was amazing and they sourced all the pieces, which is insane to me. Always recommend an exhibition here, never disappointed

You can get lost in the displays. It really reflected the personal style of V&A. Lots of restaurants near by. A good rest stop after the visit.

Spent most of the day here and still didn’t see everything Will return when the remodel is complete

Absolutely magnificent. We were blown away by this amazing place with beautiful history pieces and amazing architecture. Lovely to see our beautiful stoke pottery floor

I've been to a lot of events here over the past weeks and spent lots of time exploring the permanent galleries, but there is always more I didn't even know existed! This is probably my top museum in London, due to the breadth of items on display and the general atmosphere. It can get a little busy, but due to its vast size there is always somewhere quieter to explore. Personally, I can't get enough of the stained glass, and the building itself is stunning.

All the looted treasure from the whole world is displayed in this museum. If anyone wants to know their countries' culture and traditions, then please visit and know ur history.

The world's largest museum of decorative art and design, with a collection of 2.8 million pieces. It was founded in 1852. I can't imagine discovering everything there is in this (or any other large museum). At the same time that it enchants me, as it allows me to see and learn about the history and art of the most varied countries and eras, it also makes me reflect on how and why these pieces ended up there. In any case, it is a wonderful journey to follow the different collections, with emphasis on pieces with a religious connotation, which fascinate me, such as Buddhas and the remains of medieval churches.

Amazing place to visit and to work at. Love every time we visit. 😀

Wonderful! Great layout. Helpful staff and welcoming atmosphere.

The Naomi Campbell exhibition with a great range of Azzedine Alaia pieces. 'the last great couturier'

Beautiful Mughal exhibition with splendid art objects and interesting background information.

The Victoria and Albert Museum is one of the largest, if not the largest, museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design in the world. Founded in 1852 and named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, it houses a permanent collection of over 2.8 million artifacts. However, a large part of the exhibition is not original monuments, but faithful copies and reproductions of the originals. Entry to the museum is free, but it is not as crowded as in other London museums. You could even say that it is rather empty. This makes visiting very pleasant, although in some rooms the number of exhibits is overwhelming. Getting to know the entire exhibition thoroughly requires several long visits.

Absolutely amazing! Everything is labelled clearly and there's something for everyone.

i really enjoyed the museum, very big, i liked the most the ancient egypt and greece section

This place is definitely worth visiting. It is an impressive space full of interesting exhibits.

Easy to get to with covered walk from one of the tube stations, great in the cool and rain. Immense, huge, staggering, so much to see. Art from all eras and locales. Very nicely presented. The map and layout is a tad confusing. Do not try and do it one day. Or just highlight what you want to see and plan on 3 hours for that.

Nice museum in London-free admission

Fascinating visit. Definitely need the whole day

Very friendly staff and nice food.

There's so much to see and do. Fascinating. Educational. ....Free!

Fantastic museum. Impressive booty. Rodin's wing, with so many works, left me absolutely entranced. I strongly advise.

A beautiful place worth returning to for more time to look, read and see again what you missed the third time.

The environment in the museum cafe is unique. You will not realize how time passes in the halls full of fascinating works of art.

We loved the V&A museum! We went to an exhibition called Fragile Beauty Which was a collection of photographs owned by Sir Elton John and David Furnish . It was an outstanding exhibition and we enjoyed several hours there. Whilst we were there, we had a beautiful meal in the cafe, totally unaware that this was the first cafe worldwide in a museum. The decor was very grand with stained windows and beautifully laid out. Our hot meals were outstanding and we noticed a fantastic selection of cakes. We purchased some fabulous gifts in the shop!

Mind blowing place so much to see

You need time here. Incredibly diverse exhibition.

What an awesome place, and it's free!! We were there for 3 hours and didn't even begin to see it all. Could have spent all day in the photo and sculpture rooms. Amazing pieces of history.

So, off I went again to the V&A museum for yet another visit. Still free (donation appreciated) to the galleries (much improved) but I was there for the "Mughal" exhibition, which gave a fascinating insight of an early modern imperial dynasty that originated in central Asia yet came to cover most of South Asia. The range of items on display is extensive, from huge floor coverings to delicate and impeccably costly items, almost drowned in jewels. There are descriptions of these, but the print is somewhat small. I left the V&A immersed in Mughal life, happily so.

Very busy as a Saturday visit. I am mobility disabled so difficult to sit for a rest, and steps down to toilets on ground floor. I also found it difficult to read many of the exhibits' descriptions due to the very low level of light. Perhaps younger people are ok with this?

What an awesome place. Tons of fascinating things in multiple rooms on multiple levels of a gorgeous building. We had 3 hours and didn't even come close to seeing everything. Could have spent an entire day in the photography rooms or the sculpture rooms.

There are many sculptures in this art gallery, which are worth spending half a day or a day to appreciate.

I always consider it one of the most interesting museums in London. The exhibitions are beautiful and the area that interested me the most is the one dedicated to the theatre. Highly recommended for families and even small children, workshops and areas of interest for them too. Excellent refreshment point ideal for the whole family and clean bathrooms. I remember that the museum is free #museoalondraconbambini #museoperfamiglialondra

Free to go inside. I love this about London and England in general. Museums are free of charge.

It's nice historical museum. Loy of art and historical things are here.

Described as the nation's attic, the V&A is full of interesting collections. Highly recommend it

I had the perfect museum experience here. I came relatively early and so there were less people around to begin with during my visit. The different exhibitions were very interesting and provided something for everyone. Very large cafe and giftshop were popular among the visitors to the museum. An outdoor area provides visitors with a quiet space to rest or have a snack.

Our visit to see the Fragile Beauty exhibition was made even better by the wonderful attention to detail and customer service received from Joseph who looked after us and my elderly parents to ensure we got in smoothly and easily, and to the other super helpful and friendly staff who helped get my dad a wheelchair and really made us feel looked-after and valued. Customer service like this seems to be so rare nowadays but makes such a huge difference- thank you 🙏😊

Rich artworks, clean environment. Kind employees. Free visit. I like it a lot

Really lovely museum. Not too busy except in the café. Definitely worth a visit. Needed more time than we had to spend for a proper walk through.

Lots of treasures here. Best intro is to go on a free tour. See the notice in the entrance hall. Went to see Edith Sitwell's jewellery yesterday.

Very rich collection of art from different eras and country, always very interesting!

Awesome. You must reserve at least 2 days from your time as there are lots of items to see and read descriptions.

A very nice museum for the whole day, you can't visit it all in 2-3 hours

Very interesting but food was very pricey

I really liked this museum, many exhibits, good education, I recommend visiting

The number one place in London for every art and history lover.

Was fun to experience different events! Didn’t realise it’d be VERY packed, it did lead to me making new friends 🥰

Surprise of the visit. We had an itinerary and had some free time. We stumbled on this museum and couldn't be happier. Lots of cool stuff and worth the visit.

Interesting Another museum full of art looted around the world

Thr jewellery section is amazing

Tragic to see what colonialism does to obtain prized items in the name of conquest.

Wonderful and interesting place to visit at any time.

Although the world's oldest museum cafe - the V&A Cafe - was just so-so in my opinion, the museum itself is free to enter, making it really worth visiting! 👍🏻 #KissKidsFamily

One of the World's best museums. Wish it was better manged but that is nitpicking.

Stunning! A most interesting exhibition on the life and work of Beatrix Potter.

One of the best museums in London. Free entry and very elegant coffee ☕️ shop.

amazing museum. really appreciate the ceramics section and the display on how it's made and the different elements.

Definitely the best museum I have visited in London. The collections are impressive and varied. The mediation tools are very advanced and accessible to all. The team is always available to help you. A must for me. The café is in a magnificent setting and the food is good.

Overwhelmingly wonderful I would go again a heartbeat . If in London do not miss

It was my favorite place in London, and the friendly and cheerful staff at the Gift Shop were also the best.

Free. I think it is the most beautiful among the museums. Visually incredible.

Absolutely amazing place. Loved it

Beautiful outstanding lovely informative staff

An amazing museum I would say one of the best I’ve seen. Very clean and well kept. The place is amazing and spacious and the prices inside are very interesting

There were many collections, an appropriate structure and arrangement of exhibits, and there were fewer people than expected, so it was easy to see.

huge place full of awesome stuff. requires multiple visits

for the temporary exhibition The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence. The place is fantastic and do not hesitate to see the ceiling of the tea room and the enchanting charm of the patio where a magnificent basin reigns in which reflects the superb interior facades of this incredible building.

A world class museum. Wonderful exhibits in a beautiful and calm space. Whether your interest is music, art, jewellery, the performing arts or engaging with the way all of these have impacted and intertwined with our lives, then this is a must see museum. Even the café is a beautiful space.

We visited on a while on a trip to London. Many museums are free or pay what you can. A spectacular museum. Our main reason was to see the Chihuly Chandelier in the entrance from a previous exhibition. There are so many excellent exhibits throughout this beautiful museum. One could easily spend hours exploring all the halls.

Superb museum. The fragile beauty exhibition was wonderful.

excellent museum! and it's also free In addition, there are more museums in the area.

Reviews ancient world places and monuments

The collection is definitely worth a look. the decorations are very luxurious. The café inside has a great atmosphere as well!

Beautiful museum. It is big, but not one of those overwhelming because it seems endless.

Very interesting and large collection, the building itself was incredible and very clean for the amount of guests. Very quiet in comparison to the science and natural history museums across the road, yet a better ambiance, building and facilities. There was also no need to book in advance yet other the museums required booking in advance to even queue to get in!

What can I say that hasn’t been said before

Fantastic and free. But be wary of school holidays, too many kids taking selfies!

The Museum in London, England is an absolute highlight. The impressive architecture and diverse exhibitions offer inspiration for visitors of all ages. Particularly noteworthy are the well-presented exhibits and the friendly staff. The museum café and shop are also worth a visit. M A B A A R T . C O M The museum in London, England is a real must-see. The impressive architecture and varied exhibits offer inspiration to visitors of all ages. The well-presented exhibits and friendly staff are worth noting. The museum café and shop are also worth a visit. M A B A A R T . C O M The Museum in London, England is an absolute Highlight. The beeindruckende Architektur and the vielseitigen Ausstellungen bieten Inspiration für Besucher jeden Alters. Besons hervorzuheben sind die gut präsentierten Exponate und das freundliche Personal. Also the Museumscafé and the Shop are already there. M A B A A R T . C O M

There is so much to see here that several visits are required to do it justice. I focussed on the Buddhism exhibition and loved it. My daughters (young teenagers) visited the Naomi exhibition and loved that (£10 entry for those under 26).

The museum needs more than a day. It’s like walking into an encyclopedia.

A very cozy and lovely museum. I want to go every day.

We spent a couple of hours here yesterday and could have spent more! Lots to look at and free to enter, too!

The museum was great with a nice park and cafe (surprisingly affordable too). Taking one star away because the elton john collection was underwhelming to say the least.

The shop is full of superb gift ideas that you won't find anywhere else.

An absolutely great museum! Everything - really everything - was collected. This means that you discover the most interesting things completely unexpectedly.

This is my favourite museum in London! Would definitely recommend spending the whole day here or splitting the visit in multiple days as there is a lot to see. Perfect for a family day out or a date.

Amazing free museum, just make sure you have at least a few hours spare ( or half a day to see it all it’s so big And also in the cafe there was a live recital on the piano

Very large, beautiful museum with tons of ancient and modern artworks, sculpture, and jewelry

Literally distinguished in all aspects. Well organized with a very easy approach in accessibility for a wide variety that they have to feed your knowledge.

Victoria and Albert museum- A Family Adventure in Time!🤩 We decided to embark on a grand adventure to the Victoria and Albert Museum last Sunday. Spoiler alert: no tickets required and zero queues! It was like walking into a VIP party where everyone forgot to show up—talk about a win for the family! We had about 2.5 hours to explore, which in kid-time is approximately the equivalent of an eternity in a black hole. We managed to conquer Level -1 (yes, we went underground like explorers!) and took a brief jaunt through Level 0, which was basically our version of a “quick pit stop.” Now, let me tell you, the number and quality of items on display were mind-blowing! I mean, we walked in thinking we’d see a few dusty old things and maybe a couple of fancy plates. Instead, we were greeted by a treasure trove of art and artifacts that made us feel like we’d stumbled into the set of a historical blockbuster. It was like Indiana Jones meets “Antiques Roadshow”! My kids were wide-eyed, mouths agape, and I could practically hear their brains working overtime, trying to process why people would make such intricate things when they could just order pizza. Honestly, at one point, I caught my youngest trying to negotiate with a medieval suit of armor for a snack! Despite the amazement, I could see the attention span of my little explorers starting to wane after about an hour. “Can we go now?” they asked, while I was still mesmerized by a tapestry that seemed to have more history than my entire family tree. But fear not! We’ve decided this museum is a must-return destination. We’ll definitely be back—maybe even more than once! There’s so much we missed that we’ll need a full-on strategy meeting just to plan our next visit. Maybe we’ll bring snacks next time to keep the kids fueled and happy—because nothing says “appreciating art” like a granola bar in front of a Renaissance painting! So, hats off to the Victoria and Albert Museum for exceeding our expectations! ⭐️

Beautiful and impressive. However, general recommendations on how to move around the individual halls (to get the best experience) are missing.

The museum is excellent. The collections are amazing. Super.

Always a great place to go in London. I was a little disappointed with the fashion section as I remembered it to have more last time I went. However, there is plenty to see and very interesting. Unlike the Science and Natural history museum there was no queue to get in.