Why is this in the V&A?

The V&A’s collection includes over 1.5 million art, design and performance objects. Everything here belongs to the British public.

The V&A acquires objects to enrich our understanding of the material world. We rely on various strategies to make sure the collection represents the many different histories and cultures of design. Collection departments have a base budget to purchase objects every year. On top of this, schemes like commissions, bequests, public call-outs, long-term loans and donations help us to build the collection too.

Written by: Brendan Cormier, Chief Curator at V&A East
Published: September 2025

Collecting Stories