V&A Opens VA East Museum in Olympic Park

The Victoria and Albert Museum opened its new outpost, VA East Museum, to the public on April 18, 2026, in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, east London. The five-storey venue, designed by architects O'Donnell + Tuomey, joins the recently launched VA East Storehouse as part of the East Bank cultural quarter, aiming to create a lasting legacy from the 2012 Olympics by fostering creativity and community engagement.

Located on Waterfront Square, the museum features two free permanent galleries titled Why We Make, displaying over 500 objects from the VA's collection. These span art, architecture, design, performance, and fashion, with themes including representation, wellbeing, social justice, and environmental action. Highlights include radical ballet costumes by performance artist Leigh Bowery, architectural models by Assemble, and new acquisitions such as Yasmeen Godder's design work and Yinka Ilori's Captain Hook armchair. The galleries were developed in collaboration with the VA East Youth Collective, local creatives, and designers JA_Projects and A Practice for Everyday Life, ensuring input from young people and east London residents.