wordsmith1

I have a ticket for Alexander McQueen show---have never been to this museum. Any other tips about what I should see there?

justineparis

EVERTHING.. its a great museum.. my number one favorite for years. just recently displaced by the Imperial War Museum. ..

I spend 4-5 hours there.. love the gift shop too.. a tad pricey but some amazingly beautiful scarves.. and I love the books they sell too..

janisj

I wasn't able to get a ticket for the McQueen

The V&A is enormous and has something for everyone. But it is also overwhelming - so either jus pick the 3 or 4 galleries that interest you personally, or take it in small bites. It is free (other than the special exhibitions) so you can pop in for a quick visit, and then return a day or two later for another 'bite'.

thursdaysd

The V&A is fabulous - it's my rainy day retreat. I especially like the costume and jewelry sections, but it's all good. Take a look at their website and pick what interests you.

Also, they have three rooms for the cafe that are sights in themselves. The food is quite good, and if you don't want to spring for a full "afternoon tea" somewhere, it's a good place for a scone and clotted cream.

welltraveledbrit

I was just in the V&A today and I'm going try to get to know it much better during my next couple of months in London. I agree with janis it's overwhelming so you need to break it down. The cafe is lovely and the reason everyone recommends it is because it's so lovely. These were the original "refreshment rooms" and they are beautifully decorated, one by William Morris and Burne Jones. Anyway details on the architecture here...

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/article...rupted-vision/

So, it would indeed be a good plan to stop there between the McQueen show and seeing something else of the museum.

Here are some specific way to think about it...are you interested in places if so go to the regional galleries(india, Islamic Arts, British Galleries etc) or particular a particular medium - glass, ceramics, silver etc?

I agree with Thursdaysd that the Bollinger jewelry gallery is a highlight. The quality of the display is extraordinary, not just the stuff but also the presentation which is relatively new, it opened in 2008.
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/galleri...llery-gallery/

The Cast Courts are another section I'd recommend as this really shows you what the museum was like when it opened and they are right across from the entrance to the Special Exhibit section. These are plaster casts made in the Nineteenth Century and displayed to the public, most of who didn't have the means to travel abroad.Things like David, Trajan's column (life sized!) and lots of other European treasures including sculptures, fonts etc. It's like a wander through a museum time capsule.

Another way to approach the galleries is to take one of their (free) one hour tours which run throughout the day, I went on two today and I highly recommend them!

Hope this helps I'm sure you'll have a great time.

PalenQ

I loved the room with the copies of so many famous classical statues from the Greek and Roman and other worlds.

welltraveledbrit

Fabulous aren't they, the copies are in the Cast Courts, mentioned above...

RM67

Lalique's Victoire, The ivory figurine of Christ, the fab world map artwork which doesn't actually feature the outline of any countries, but you know it's a world map because the geography is mapped out by air routes, various Japanese woodblock prints, the entire jewellery gallery, the milk drop corona photograph, and any temporary exhibitions - my favourites from past years have been art deco, British Design 1948 onward and the Festival of Britain.

northie

Love this gallery ESP the jewellery . Good suggestion to do the free tour. Gives you ideas as to what you would go back to look in more detail. In my home state Victoria we have at least one V & A exhibition a year. Also have one from Imperial War Museum currently.

wordsmith1

Thanks everyone!

janisj

Got in to the McQueen after all (since ill be in London at least 3 times in the next year, I decided to join the V&A and that got me immediate entry into the exhibition)

It was an absolute stunner!!!

northie

I wasn't interested but now I am janisj - thanks