V&A East Storehouse Study Centre
V&A East Storehouse Study Centre is made up of four multi-use areas, including the Clothworkers' Centre for the Study and Conservation of Textiles and Fashion, the National Video Archive of Performance (NVAP) and the David Bowie Centre. The Study Centre also provides access to over 1000 archive collections from the Archive of Art & Design, Theatre & Performance Archive and Young V&A Archive, giving insight into the way artists, designers and performers work.
Opening times, location and access information
Daily: 10.00 – 17.00
Thursday and Saturday: 10.00 – 21.00
(Except National Art Library at V&A East Storehouse - see below for specific opening days and times)
Parkes Street
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Hackney Wick
London, E20 3AX
Clothworkers' Centre for the Study and Conservation of Textiles and Fashion
The Clothworkers' Centre for the Study and Conservation of Textiles and Fashion offers visitors and researchers a truly unique opportunity to inspect and study one of the most important collections of textiles, fashion and costume in the world. Objects range from archaeological fragments to heavy tapestry and carpets, accessories and underwear to embroidered 18th century court dresses and contemporary haute couture.
The David Bowie Centre
Opening in September 2025, the David Bowie Centre is a new creative workspace built around the world’s largest collection dedicated to the life and works of David Bowie.
Recently acquired by the V&A through the generosity of the David Bowie Estate, the Blavatnik Family Foundation and Warner Music Group, the David Bowie Archive is made up of 80,000+ items. A major project is underway cataloguing everything from Bowie’s iconic costumes and musical instruments to make-up charts, stage models, personal notes and more.
Split into three separate zones, the David Bowie Centre will have a mix of atmospheric curated displays, audio visual installations and quieter study areas for visitors who have booked in advance to view specific objects from the archive.
A series of rotating guest curators – including Bowie’s collaborators, experts and contemporary creatives – will also be invited to share their insights and perspectives on the Archive. To develop the inaugural displays, curators consulted with 18 – 25-year-olds from the four Olympic Boroughs through Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s Elevate Legacy Youth Board.
National Art Library at V&A East Storehouse
In addition to the National Art Library at South Kensington, over 350,000 books on subjects including performance history and children’s literature are available to view in the V&A East Storehouse Study Centre.
Information about where the material is held and how to request it can be found in the individual search results of the Library Catalogue.
The study room at East Storehouse is open on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, from 10.00 – 17.00. Visits are by appointment only.
To request items to view, you will first need to join the Library by creating a user account. Please complete the online registration form prior to contacting us with the items you require and making an appointment to view.
Archives
The V&A holds the archives of over 1,000 individuals and organisations relating to art, design, performance and the history of the museum.
Archives include Arts Council of Great Britain, Talawa Theatre Company, designers Antoni & Alison and pioneer playworker Donne Buck as well as the National Video Archive of Performance (NVAP), which holds over 400 live performance recordings.
National Art Library
The National Art Library (NAL) is a major public reference library in V&A South Kensington and is open to all visitors. With over a million items from the 8th century to the present day, the collection covers the fine and decorative arts, design and art history and contains books, periodicals, auction sale catalogues, exhibition catalogues, electronic resources and other formats of material. Amongst the many treasures are artists' books, illustrated books, fine bindings and rare and unique manuscripts.
Opening times, location and access information
Tuesday – Thursday: 10.00 – 17.00
Closest entrance: Cromwell Road
Although an appointment is not necessary, you are strongly advised to order any items you wish to view in advance of your visit via our online catalogue. Item requests must be placed by 15.30 for same day delivery. The Special Collections desk closes at 16.30.
Bag restrictions and rules
Food and drink are not permitted in the Library. Any bags should be deposited at the cloakrooms. Cloakroom charges are payable on your first visit but you will be exempt on future visits on production of your valid library card. A clear plastic bag is provided to decant any items you need to use in the Library.
See the conditions of use for the full list of rules.
Prints and Drawings Study Room
Visitors can study and enjoy over 750,000 objects not on display in the galleries, including designs, fine art prints, watercolours, old master drawings, photographs (including the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) collection), commercial graphics, greetings cards, playing cards, fashion plates, posters, wallpapers and much more.
Some light-sensitive and fragile items can only be viewed under certain conditions and by special appointment.
Opening times, location and access information
Wednesday and Thursday: 10.00 – 13.00 and 14.00 – 17.00
The Prints and Drawings Study room will be closed for stocktake between 8 – 19 September, reopening on Wednesday 24 September.
Access only from the Learning Centre on Level 0
Closest entrance: Exhibition Road
Booking an appointment
Viewing objects is by appointment only.
We require a minimum of one week's notice for an appointment. Slots are booked up quickly, so please book as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment.
Individuals can view up to five objects, or boxes of objects, per visit. A group can view up to ten objects, or boxes of objects, for a visit. The limit for a group is ten people at a time.
To book an individual or group appointment, email:
aapd.enquiries@vam.ac.uk.
In your booking request, please provide:
- First and second choice of visit date
- Accession number and collection location of the object(s), which can be found on an individual object's record in Explore the Collections.
Bag restrictions and rules
Lockers are available in the Print Room lobby for small bags and coats only. Please use the main museum cloakroom in the Grand Entrance on the ground floor for any large bags or other items.
Filming is not allowed in the Print Room without prior approval from the Print Room Manager. Still photography is usually permitted.
See the conditions of use for the full list of rules.
Collection Selection Boxes
You can also request up to five Collection Selection Boxes for individual study or group teaching. These contain original prints, drawings and photographs that introduce a particular period, style, material, or technique.
RIBA Architecture Study Room
The V&A and The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) work in partnership to provide access to the world's most comprehensive architectural resource. The collection includes over 1 million drawings, 1.5 million photographs and 1.5 million archives, including architectural diaries, travel journals, letters, notebooks, essays, papers and office archives.
Find out more about the V&A + RIBA collections
Opening times, location and access information
Wednesday and Thursday: 10.00 – 13.00 and 14.00 – 17.00
Access only from the Learning Centre on Level 0
Booking an appointment
Access is by appointment only.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7307 3708
Email: drawingsandarchives@riba.org
Ceramics Study Room
The Ceramics Study Room allows you to view the objects on display in Rooms 136 to 139 up close.
Browse objects in these rooms:
Opening times, location and access information
Monday – Friday, 10.00 – 12.00 and 14.00 – 16.00
Booking an appointment
Access is by appointment only.
Western ceramics
Tel: +44 (0)20 3949 4731
Email: ceramicsstudyroom@vam.ac.uk
Asian ceramics
Tel: +44 (0)20 3949 4515
Email: ceramicsstudyroom@vam.ac.uk
Appointments are subject to availability and the suitability of the objects to be shown in this manner.
