Young V&A

Young V&A is part of the V&A’s family of museum’s, sparking creativity now and for the future. Formerly the Museum of Childhood, it was relaunched as Young V&A in June 2023 and created with 0–14-year-olds as a place for young people to imagine, play and design and get inspired by a collection of 2000 toys, characters, objects and artworks from around the world and throughout history. Rooted in its local community in Bethnal Green with 150-year heritage as East London’s first museum, Young V&A works to energise young creators everywhere, as well as empower everyone to promote creativity for the next generation and support the teaching of art and design education for all.

The generous support of the Buffini Chao Foundation enabled the creation of two new spaces at Young V&A following the transformative capital project – The Stage in the Imagine Gallery and Moving & Making in the Play Gallery – as well as establishing a multi-year learning programme for young audiences with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).  The Stage provides a unique platform for children to conduct their own creative performances in addition to hosting the Museum’s programme of events and Moving and Making is a space dedicated to active play and the development of fine and gross motor skills.

Alongside this, the team at Young V&A have successfully delivered a wide range of SEND activity through funding from the Buffini Chao Foundation. This includes Low Sensory Morning events, ‘meet and greet’ sessions during our community welcome events, family activities in the Open Studio, specialised object handling workshops dedicated to SEND schools and the commission of new sensory resources for SEND public visitors.

“We are enormously grateful to the Buffini Chao Foundation for their support and generosity towards the creation of Young V&A and its future programmes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Their partnership and support has helped us to transform the museum experience for children and young people, ensuring our youngest audiences continue to derive joy, inspiration and knowledge from the V&A collection for generations to come.” – Dr Tristram Hunt, Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum

Photographs – Young V&A Exterior © Luke Hayes; Young V&A Play Gallery, Moving & Making © Luke Hayes; The Stage, Imagine Gallery © Luke Hayes courtesy of Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Young V&A, Town Square © David Parry courtesy of Victoria and Albert Museum, London