Refurbishment of the silver galleries, 2002
The Whiteley Galleries
View of the silver galleries.
In 2002, the silver galleries were restored using the evidence of archive photographs and long-lost fragments.
The highly decorative 19th-century interior of the galleries, juxtaposed with the clean modern lines of the display, house the largest public collection of silver in the UK.
Modern facilities were incorporated into Victorian-style features. For example, a new heating system was concealed within a continuous bracketed dado, and a new lighting system incorporated into replicas of the original 'gasolier' fittings. The showcases used modern all-glass, fibre-optic technology.
An interactivity area with an object-handling table and computer database was introduced.
Designer
The galleries were designed by John Ronayne of Ronayne: Design.
This development was completed as part of FuturePlan
FuturePlan is transforming the V&A by revitalising visitor facilities and redisplaying the collections. Using the best architects and designers, we are bringing the V&A into the 21st century and restoring modern design and innovation to the heart of the museum.
A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
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Britannia & Muscovy: English Silver at the Court of the Tsars (Hardcover)
This superbly illustrated book accompanies an exhibition of thirty objects from the exceptional collection of English silver in the Moscow Kremlin Mus…
Buy nowEvent - Michael Lloyd: Twelve Vessels
Fri 24 May 2013 14:00
Join silversmith Michael Lloyd as he discusses his current display in the Silver Galleries entitled ‘Twelve Vessels’.
Book online
