Young V&A

Inside the Museum

Reinvented with children and teens as co-designers, Young V&A fuses play, imagination and design into one learning engine. Play turns physics—balance, rhythm, weight—into something you feel; Imagine pairs historic dolls and board games with screen-age characters to show how stories migrate from print to pixels; Design lifts the lid on making, from sketchbook scribbles to prototypes and polished objects. Calm sensory zones welcome under-fives; step-free routes and generous seating keep mixed-age groups comfortable. Plan 60–90 unhurried minutes; arrive early at weekends for space to repeat activities and swap roles between adults and kids.

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#30

Toy

What Visitors Say

Dorit Raymond 3. February, 2026

★★★★★

I haven't been here for about 20 years when it was under a different name and was pleased to see it hadn't lost any of its appeal to children and adults. A lovely bright and welcoming environment with friendly helpful staff. There's a large variety of displays on different floors, showing toys and equipment that l remember playing with when l was a child and my own children. Lots of interactive areas and plenty of space for children of all ages to explore, play, relax and have loads of fun. The food area was well laid out with a variety of hot and cold meals to suit all tastes and reasonably priced. A really nice museum where children will not be bored.

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Aviators Safarini 28. January, 2026

★★★★★

Quiet open airy space, with exhibits big and small explaining the history of toys. We were met at the entrance by a staff member who showed us where to start & directions to the other facilities. Our toddler enjoyed the experiential play area for the smaller kids. A mix of sensory and tactile play spaces, that kept the little one busy & entertained. There was also a specific age 0-2 soft play space with minders making sure it was only for the very little ones. Staff are friendly and helpful. Toilets great and have smaller size loos for the young ones. Ramp & lift available, so stroller/buggy friendly. Cafe menu wasn’t all that, more variety will be great. Overall worth seeing & entry is free.

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Nilgün Atalay 9. February, 2026

★★★★★

I visited with my children and we really enjoyed it. There are plenty of interesting things that also capture the attention of adults. The atmosphere and the exhibits are fascinating and very engaging. It was smaller than I expected, and we were able to explore everything in about an hour. Overall, it’s a lovely place to visit with kids.

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Gürsel Günacar 28. January, 2026

★★★★★

There are various activities for children aged 1-8. While you enjoy your tea in the central area, the children can play in the playgrounds. It's very suitable for parents with babies. There were lots of strollers at the entrance. There are also diaper changing areas and lockers here.

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E Chan 21. January, 2026

★★★★

Some interesting exhibits and history around those areas. the museum has become a lot more child friendly. Rather than serving as a historical chronicle of childhood, what's available now is much more interactive and perfectly suited for young children, featuring engaging and truly interesting activities

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Highlights

Play Gallery

Hands-on making and movement

Climb, balance and build across large-scale structures that turn curiosity into problem-solving and teamwork.

Pick one challenge and iterate three ways—swap roles, change pace, add a house rule.

Ground floor, central hall

Imagine Gallery

Stories through toys and games

Victorian dolls and board games sit beside contemporary icons, tracing how characters leap from page to screen to playroom.

Spot a favourite character, then find its earlier analogue two cases away.

First floor, north side

Design Gallery

How things are made

Real sketchbooks, material swatches and prototypes reveal the steps from spark to finished object.

Match a prototype to its final object and note what changed—and why.

First floor, south side

Under-Fives Space

Play designed for toddlers

Soft, sensory stations focus on colour, texture and sound for calm, confident first museum visits.

Co-play one activity, then step back and let independent exploration lead.

Ground floor, dedicated zone

Opening Hours

Monday: 10:00 AM - 5:45 PM

Tuesday: 10:00 AM - 5:45 PM

Wednesday: 10:00 AM - 5:45 PM

Thursday: 10:00 AM - 5:45 PM

Friday: 10:00 AM - 5:45 PM

Saturday: 10:00 AM - 5:45 PM

Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:45 PM

Wikipedia Website Google Maps

Fun Facts

The building’s iron skeleton reuses parts from London’s 1862 International Exhibition—industrial kit turned into a museum frame you can still see in the riveted columns.

Before reopening in 2023, the museum ran co-design sessions with school pupils and young advisors; several labels preserve children’s own wording, so you’re literally reading the curators’ junior voices.

It opened in 1872 as the Bethnal Green Museum—an East End outpost of the South Kensington Museum (the V&A’s earlier name)—to bring art and design learning closer to working families.

Some prototypes in the Design gallery are intentionally ‘imperfect’: look for 3D-printed objects left with visible build lines so fingers can feel how printing layers stack.

Victorian ‘manners’ board games in Imagine quietly doubled as etiquette lessons—penalising rudeness and rewarding ‘proper’ choices—so playtime trained behaviour as well as strategy.