Past Temporary Exhibitions and Displays
Find out more about some of the exhibitions and displays you might have missed at the Museum over the last few years...
Snozzcumbers and Frobscottle!
Step into the quirky and humorous world of Quentin Blake and Roald Dahl with Snozzcumbers and Frobscottle, a celebration of the coming together of two amazing creative forces...
Playing with Puppets
An interactive display featuring puppets from the Little Angel Theatre's production of The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me...
Victorians at the Seaside: Photographs by Paul Martin
In 1892, the photographer Paul Martin made a trip to Yarmouth, the popular seaside resort in Norfolk. Disguising his camera as a leather box, he was able to record his fellow holidaymakers unnoticed...
Read more about Victorians at the Seaside: Photographs by Paul Martin
Make it Happen: Re-making History
Make it Happen, Made by you is currently showcasing master rocking horse maker and restorer Anthony Dew's beautiful reproduction of the 'King Charles I' rocking horse.
Top to Toe: Contemporary
A display featuring contemporary clothing produced by childrenswear designers based in London's East End...
Warli & Weave
Warli & Weave, both forms of traditional Indian craft, come together in this unique exhibition which focuses on how children from two rural communities learn and develop skills critical to sustaining livelihood.
Top to Toe: Fashion for Kids
Drawing from the Museum's outstanding collection, Top to Toe: Fashion for Kids explores the fascinating world of children's clothing from 250 years ago to the present day.
Home and Away
What makes a place into a home? Why do we think of other places as 'away'? Home and Away looks at how children from South Asian communities in East London think about the different places they encounter in their everyday lives...
Edwardian Outdoor Games
Featuring a small selection of inkjet prints made from the Andrew Pitcairn-Knowles archive held by the V&A, Edwardian Outdoor Games is a fascinating insight into the leisure activities and customs of the period.
Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served? by Tom Hunter, a photographic project exploring the changing face of East End trade, featured portraits of local businesses on the main road between Bethnal Green and central Hackney.
A Century of Olympic Posters
A Century of Olympic Posters explores the fascinating representation of the Olympic Games through the intensely visual medium of the poster. Coinciding with the Beijing Olympic Games of 2008 and the build-up to London 2012, exhibits are drawn from the V&A's rich collections of posters and ephemera, including stunning recent acquisitions.
Space Age: Exploration, design and popular culture
This exhibition examined the impact space exploration has had on everyday life, especially futuristic design and the fantasy worlds created for children and adults alike.
Read more about Space Age: Exploration, design and popular culture
Young Runaway Slaves
Inspired by the experiences of young people working as slaves and servants within Tower Hamlets, Newham and Hackney between 1670–1800. Historian S.I. Martin and artist Jennifer Lewis worked with Year 8 pupils from Swanlea Secondary School to create a display to mark the Bicentennial of the Abolition of the Slave Trade.
Play + Soft
Dreams of Flying
Feel the Force
A Science Projects touring exhibition exploring the forces of nature, many of which are used within the Museum's moving toys collection.
Picasso: Histoire Naturelle
A series of 31 prints, considered to be among Picasso's most important graphic productions, of animals, birds, and insects. Picasso created these images from 1936 to accompany the classic natural history text by the French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc Buffon (1749-1788).
Alfred and the Pirates - The Making of a Children's Book
Follow the making of this enchanting story, written by Irving Finkel and illustrated by 15 year old Emily Donegan. Irving Finkel asked Emily to illustrate his story about Alfred Appletree after she won a competition to design a poster.
Read more about Alfred and the Pirates - The Making of a Children's Book
Happy Birthday Miffy
A retrospective exhibition celebrating the work of Dick Bruna, creator and illustrator of classic picture book character, Miffy.
Birthday Girl Sindy
The Sindy doll was launched in September 1963. She was one of many teenage fashion dolls of the time which reflected wider popular culture.
On Your Marks!
This interactive exhibition, developed by the British Empire & Commonwealth Museum in Bristol gave visitors the chance to test their skills, strength and fitness.
Our Sites
An outdoor exhibition of photographs by young people from the Traveller and Gypsy communities living in the Lower Lea Valley, created by On Site Arts with support from the London Gypsy and Traveller Unit.
Children in Crisis
See life through the eyes of children from the Darfur region of Sudan in this display of photographs and drawings responding to the recent conflict.
Children in Trouble
Children in Trouble is a changing display area exploring the aspects of childhood that can be hard to talk about. Children in Trouble focuses on the real lives of children outside the normal protection of home and family.
Think & Wonder
The first exhibition of contemporary art at the V&A Museum of Childhood featured the work of over 20 artists who were inspired by the Museum's unique collection.
ViewPoints
On 1 October 2004, 141 children and young people across London were all doing the same thing - taking photographs of one day in their lives. They were taking part in the children's photographic project ViewPoints.
Beatrix Potter's Garden
The classic and charming tales of Beatrix Potter were brought to life in an exhibition celebrating the centenary of The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-winkle.
Home Swede Home: Swedish Dolls' Houses, 1950-2000
Do you remember when pine and Formica became the norm and linoleum floors were a must in the kitchen?
Read more about Home Swede Home: Swedish Dolls' Houses, 1950-2000
Must-have Toys
An exhibition for all generations: everyone remembers their must-have toy. Favourite toys from the last 100 years came together for the first time in the most comprehensive collection of desirable toys ever seen in Britain.
David Hockney: Grimms' Fairy Tales
An exhibition from National Touring Exhibitions, organised by the Hayward Gallery for the Arts Council of England that featured beautiful illustrations by David Hockney, inspired by the Brothers' Grimm's most gruesome fairy tales.
Uncaged
An exhibition featuring six imaginative interactive installations by intermedia artist Ralf Nuhn linking the virtual world of computers with the real world.
Khel: Toys from India
Beautiful, handmade toys and games from India were displayed at the Museum in this colourful exhibition. A selection of contemporary toys were acquired in India, directly from the makers at the Dilli Haat Bazaar in New Delhi.
Teddy Bear Story: 100 Years of the Teddy Bear
Teddy bears are everyone's favourite toy - a part of childhood we often hang on to even as adults.
Read more about Teddy Bear Story: 100 Years of the Teddy Bear
Passion for Prams
Britain's oldest and most prestigious pram maker, Silver Cross, joined forces with the V&A Museum of Childhood for an exhibition of traditional coach built prams in 2003.
