Spotlight On: The Victoria and Albert Museum

Fondly known by Londoners as “The Queen’s Attic,” The Victoria & Albert Museum hosts a variety of objects, from the shimmering chandelier by contemporary artist Dale Chihuly in the entrance way to medieval statuary. The museum is in fact the world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design. Founded in 1852, it has since then grown to encompass 12.5 acres and 145 galleries.
 
One of the most impressive rooms at the V&A is the Cast Court, which holds the replicas of works of art from a variety of time periods, including a life sized (though cut in half) replica of Trajan’s Column and a full-size replica of Michelangelo’s David.
 
Other collections in the museum include the largest and most comprehensive ceramics amalgamation in the world, with over 75,000 objects representing every populated continent. And for the fashionista, the museum’s costume collection is the most comprehensive in Britain, containing over 14,000 outfits plus accessories, mainly dating from 1600 to the present.

One of the more popular artifacts at the museum is The Great Bed. Made by Jonas Fosbrooke in the 1460’s for the King, in later years, as the bed passed from owner to owner, Jonas’ spirit, it was said, began to attack anyone who slept in the bed who had no royal blood, unless a toast was drunk to him before lights out.
 
The museum is located in South Kensington in a cultural area sometimes referred to as Albertopolis, with its neighbors being the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum.
 
The Victoria & Albert Museum
Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL, United Kingdom – +44 20 7942 2000

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