Explore the Collections

If you're into it, it’s in the V&A

Search more than 1.3 million objects

Most searched for

Here are our most searched-for objects and themes

  1. kaftan
    Kaftan, about 1590, Bursa, Turkey
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  2. minbar
    Mamluk minbar, 1468 – 96, Cairo, Egypt
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  3. composition
    (Detail) 22,500, composition, by Hadieh Shafie, 2011, Baltimore, US
    Not on display
  4. beaker and case
    The Luck of Edenhall, beaker and case, 14th century, Middle East
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  5. carpet
    (Detail) The Ardabil Carpet, 1539 – 40, Iran
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  6. ewer
    Ewer, 1000 – 50, Egypt
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  7. pyxis
    Pyxis, about 969 – 970, Madinat al-Zahra, Spain
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  8. tile panel
    (Detail) Tile panel, 17th century, Isfahan, Iran
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  9. tapestry
    Animals by the Watering Hole, tapestry, by 'Ali Salim, 1985, Egypt
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  1. photograph
    Hans Himmelheber, Masked Figure and Men, DRC, Pende Region, 1939, Scan of a Chalcopyrite from the Kipushi Mine, and Reflection in Mirror, photograph, by Sammy Baloji
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  2. mask
    Sande mask, unknown maker, 1900 – 40, Sierra Leone
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  3. bust
    Souvenir 4 (Princess Alexandra), bust, by Hew Locke, 2019, England
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  4. textile design
    'Tomee', textile design, designed by Althea McNish, made for Danasco Fabrics Ltd, 1961, Britain
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  5. sparkle Vase
    Sparkle Vase, by Ndidi Ekubia, 2012, London, UK
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  6. inlay
    Inlay, unknown maker, 305 BC – 30 BC, Egypt
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  7. dress
    Oku, dress, designed by Frank Aghuno for Fruché, 2020, Lagos
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  8. print
    Spirit of the Carnival, print, by Joseph Tam, 1988, UK Spirit of the Carnival, print, by Tam Joseph, 1988, Great Britain
    V&A East Museum
    On display
  9. print
    'What Chu Lookin at Ho?, Before', print, by Khaleb Brooks, 2020, UK
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  10. photograph
    'Mofolo South, Soweto', photograph, by David Goldblatt, 09/1972, South Africa
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  11. poster
    Guinea and Cape Verde Solidarity / 3 August, poster, by Berta Abelenda, published by the Organisation in Solidarity with the people of Africa, Asia and Latin America (OSPAAAL), about 1974, Cuba
    V&A East Museum
    On display
  12. poster
    'I Can't Breathe', poster, designed by Greg Bunbury, printed by Metro Imaging, 2014, London, UK
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  13. portrait of Melissa Thompson
    Portrait of Melissa Thompson, painting, by Kehinde Wiley, 2020
    V&A East Museum
    On display
  1. Black woman standing on a pebble beach, holding a large pink shell to her ear. She wears a green floor-length dress
    'Self Evident', C-type print, by Ingrid Pollard, 1995, printed 2013, Brighton, England
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  2. Man with child on his back, holding a pink dog lead, with a white and brown dog. Another child holds onto the dog.
    'The Garden II', chromogenic print, by Siân Davey, 2021
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  3. Salted paper print of lace; strong brown colour. Botanical and floral patterns including flowers and plants.
    Lace, salted paper print, by William Henry Fox Talbot, early 1840s, Britain
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  4. Two soldiers in black and white uniform, in a field. One is smoking and eating from a small tub
    'The Break', Nermine Hammam, inkjet print, 2011
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  5. Artist is topless and turns away from the camera
    'Disconnected', inkjet print, by Marvel Harris, 2018, the Netherlands
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  6. Portrait of woman/girl side-on. She has wavy hair and has a neutral expression.
    'The Angel at the Tomb', photograph, by Julia Margaret Cameron, 1870, Isle of Wight, England
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  7. photograph of inside the Raphael gallery, with the Cartoons on easels before being hung
    'View of the Raphael Cartoons Galleries at the South Kensington Museum', albumen print, by Isabel Agnes Cowper, about 1873
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  8. Woman stood leaning on a big camera, with the flash going off
    'Lily Cole and Giant Camera', inkjet print, by Tim Walker, 2004. Museum no. E.1140-2008
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  9. Three teenage boys smoking in the street, wearing blazers and ties
    'Boys smoking, Portland Road, April 15 1956', gelatin silver print, by Roger Mayne, 1956, London, England
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  10. Pink flower, darker in the middle and lighter towards the edge of the petals
    'Tree Peony' from Some Japanese Flowers Vol. I, collotype with lithographic overprinting in colour, by Kazumasa Ogawa, 1894, Japan
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  11. Black and white photograph of a tree which has fallen onto a rock face
    'Columbia and Western #3', from the series 'Westward, the Course of Empire', by Mark Ruwedel, 1999
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  12. Woman with brown hair and red lipstick, fixing her earring to her ear
    'The Earring', photograph, by Madame Yevonde, about 1936, UK
  1. hat
    Hat, designed by Simone Mirman, about 1955, London, England
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  2. evening dress
    Evening dress, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, 1954, Paris, France
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  3. man's suit
    Man's suit, designed by Mr Fish, manufactured by Hexter, about 1968, London, England
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  4. pair of shoes
    Pair of shoes, 1550 – 1070 BC, Egypt
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  5. mantua
    Mantua, 1755 – 60, England
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  6. dress
    Plato's Atlantis, dress, designed by Alexander McQueen, 2010, London, England
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  7. black, brown, green and white striped cotton trench coat with belt, blue-grey poplin trousers with a black and yellow pattern
    Man's ensemble, designed by Stella Jean, Spring/Summer 2014, Italy and Burkina Faso. Museum no. T.21:1 to 5-2014.
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  1. banner
    Banner, 600 – 900 AD, Dunhuang, China, pattern and plain woven silk, wood and paint
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  2. jumper
    Cravat, jumper, designed by Elsa Schiaparelli, 1927, France.
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  3. carpet
    The Bullerswood Carpet, designed by William Morris and John Henry Dearle, 1889, London, England
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  4. tapestry
    Animals by the Watering Hole, tapestry, by 'Ali Salim, 1985, Egypt
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  5. embroidered casket
    Embroidered casket, made by Martha Edlin, 1671, England
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  6. ensemble
    Ensemble, unknown, early 19th century, India
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  1. oil painting
    The Temptation in the Garden of Eden, oil painting, by Jan Brueghel the elder, about 1600, Antwerp, Belgium
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  2. oil painting
    Disappointed Love, oil painting, by Francis Danby, 1821, England
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  3. altarpiece
    Altarpiece of St George, by Master of the Centenar, first quarter of the 15th century, Valencia, Spain
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  4. oil painting
    Virgin and Child, oil painting, by Carlo Crivelli, about 1480, Italy
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  5. painting
    Signboard for the Omega Workshops, painting, by Duncan Grant for Omega Workshops, 1913, England
    V&A East Museum
    On display
  6. painting
    Portrait of a Lady known as Smeralda Bandinell, painting, painted by Sandro Botticelli, 1470 – 80, Florence, Italy
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  7. oil painting
    Self-Portrait as a Young Man, oil painting, by Jacopo Robusti Tintoretto, about 1548, Venice, Italy
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  8. oil painting
    Vanitas Still Life, oil painting, by N.L. Peschier, 1659, Netherlands
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  9. oil painting
    Portrait of Madame de Pompadour, oil painting, by Francois Boucher, 1758, Paris, France
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  10. oil painting
    The Painter's Two Daughters, oil painting, by Thomas Gainsborough, about 1758
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  11. oil painting
    A Sleeping Nymph Watched by a Shepherd, oil painting, by Angelica Kauffman, about 1780, London, England
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  12. portrait of Melissa Thompson
    Portrait of Melissa Thompson, painting, by Kehinde Wiley, 2020
    V&A East Museum
    On display
  13. oil painting
    Salisbury Cathedral from The Bishop`s Ground, oil painting, by John Constable, 1823, England
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  14. oil painting
    Venice from the Giudecca, oil painting, by Joseph Mallord William Turner, 1840
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  15. oil painting
    St Cecilia and the Angels, oil painting, by Paul Delaroche, 1836, Paris, France
    V&A South Kensington
    On display

Trending

Black History Month

Featuring critically acclaimed musical talent to the Black models that changed fashion, iconic fabric designs to carnival costumes, and representation in the form of monumental sculptures, we're celebrating Global African creativity in all its forms.

Read

Global Africa Collection at the V&A

Discover more about the history of the V&A's Global Africa Collection and our ongoing work to shape collecting policies and practice.

  1. Read

    Africa fashion: cloth of a continent

    Discover more about African cloth types through our collections
  2. Read

    Let's Dance: How Nile Rodgers made David Bowie's demo a global smash hit

    How Chic's Nile Rodgers made David Bowie's Let’s Dance one of the biggest songs of the 1980s
  3. Watch

    Monumentalism, representation and materiality – Thomas J Price at the V&A

    Price discusses how his work raises questions of representation, perception and power, prompting us to think about the nature of monuments: who is represented and why?
  4. Read

    A V&A celebration of carnival in seven objects

    Discover some carnival-flavoured highlights from our collection
  5. Read

    The groundbreaking Black models who changed fashion

    Find out about the trailblazing women who paved the way
  6. Watch

    The story of The Supremes

    Mary Wilson, co-founder of The Supremes, talks about her extraordinary career and the heyday of Motown
  7. Read

    Ayishat Akanbi – Cultural commentator, stylist and artist

Browse by theme

Discover the people, techniques, eras and places represented in our museums

  1. Collection

    Cast collection
  2. Collection

    Wedgwood
  3. Collection

    Design 1900 – Now
  4. Collection

    The Raphael Cartoons
  5. Collection

    The V&A Story
  6. Collection

    Gilbert Collection
  1. Collection

    Aestheticism
  2. Collection

    Palladianism
  3. Collection

    Neoclassicism
  4. Collection

    Renaissance
  5. Collection

    Modernism
  6. Collection

    Europe 1600 – 1815
  7. Collection

    1960s fashion
  8. Collection

    Surrealism
  9. Collection

    Gothic
  10. Collection

    Art Deco
  11. Collection

    Post-war design
  12. Collection

    Arts and Crafts
  13. Collection

    Medieval

  14. Collection

    Postmodernism
  15. Collection

    Art Nouveau
  16. Collection

    Rococo
  17. Collection

    Baroque
  18. Collection

    Chinoiserie
  1. Collection

    Thomas Ruff
  2. Collection

    Garry Fabian Miller
  3. Collection

    Horst P. Horst
  4. Collection

    David Bowie
  5. Collection

    Julia Margaret Cameron
  6. Collection

    Ilse Bing
  7. Collection

    Eileen Agar

  8. Collection

    Auguste Rodin
  9. Collection

    William Henry Fox Talbot
  10. Collection

    Harry Hammond
  11. Collection

    Frederick Hollyer
  12. Collection

    Elsa Schiaparelli
  13. Collection

    William Morris
  14. Collection

    Benjamin Brecknell Turner
  15. Collection

    Nicholas Hilliard
  16. Collection

    Paul Strand
  17. Collection

    Vivienne Westwood

  18. Collection

    Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes
  19. Collection

    Bill Brandt
  20. Collection

    Cristóbal Balenciaga

  21. Collection

    Eileen Gray
  22. Collection

    John Constable
  23. Collection

    Valérie Belin
  24. Collection

    Antonio Canova
  25. Collection

    Cecil Beaton
  26. Collection

    Lucienne Day
  27. Collection

    Alexander McQueen
  28. Collection

    Beatrix Potter

  29. Collection

    Wedgwood
  30. Collection

    William De Morgan
  31. Collection

    Lee Miller
  32. Collection

    William Shakespeare
  33. Collection

    Grinling Gibbons
  34. Collection

    Edna Clarke Hall

  35. Collection

    Mary Quant
  36. Collection

    Curtis Moffat
  37. Collection

    Linnaeus Tripe
  1. Collection

    Provenance Research: How have objects come to be in the V&A?
  2. Collection

    Glasses
  3. Collection

    Furniture
  4. Collection

    Costume
  5. Collection

    The Stein Collection
  6. Collection

    Music hall
  7. Collection

    Architecture
  8. Collection

    Hats
  9. Collection

    Books
  10. Collection

    Fashion in Motion
  11. Collection

    Theatre & Performance

  12. Collection

    Underwear
  13. Collection

    Rapid Response Collecting
  14. Collection

    Fashion
  15. Collection

    Shoes
  16. Collection

    Jewellery
  17. Collection

    Artists and the Book
  18. Collection

    Frames
  19. Collection

    Wallpaper
  20. Collection

    The Glastonbury Festival Archive
  21. Collection

    Photography
  22. Collection

    Gender & sexuality
  23. Collection

    Post-war design
  24. Collection

    Tiles
  25. Collection

    Circus
  26. Collection

    Paintings

  27. Collection

    Wedding dress
  28. Collection

    The V&A Story
  29. Collection

    Opera
  30. Collection

    Ballet
  31. Collection

    Digital Art & Design
  32. Collection

    The Raphael Cartoons
  33. Collection

    Manuscripts
  34. Collection

    Embroidery
  1. Collection

    Quilting and patchwork
  2. Collection

    Tapestry
  3. Collection

    Studio pottery
  4. Collection

    Watercolour
  5. Collection

    Stained glass
  6. Collection

    Drawing
  7. Collection

    Tiles
  8. Collection

    Enamels
  9. Collection

    Photography
  10. Collection

    Illustration
  11. Collection

    Textiles
  12. Collection

    Embroidery
  13. Collection

    Cast collection
  14. Collection

    Paintings

  15. Collection

    Portrait miniatures
  16. Collection

    The Raphael Cartoons
  17. Collection

    Posters
  18. Collection

    Ceramics
  19. Collection

    Glass
  20. Collection

    Metalwork
  21. Collection

    Books
  22. Collection

    Print
  23. Collection

    Ballet
  24. Collection

    Knitting
  25. Collection

    Sculpture
  1. Collection

    China
  2. Collection

    South Asia
  3. Collection

    Islamic Middle East
  4. Collection

    Global Africa
  5. Collection

    Europe 1600 – 1815
  6. Collection

    Japan
  7. Collection

    Korea

In our venues

See the collections in person. For some objects not on display you can view by appointment. Our collections include the National Art Library and the V&A Archives.

  1. mechanical organ
    Tippoo's Tiger, mechanical organ, about 1793, Mysore, India
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  2. plaster cast of Trajan's Column
    (Detail) Trajan's column, plaster cast, by Monsieur Oudry, about 1864, Paris, France
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  3. bed
    The Great Bed of Ware, designed by Hans Vredeman de Vries, 1590 – 1600, Ware, England
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  4. 3D-printed logotype woodblock
    3D-printed Extinction Rebellion logotype woodblock
    V&A East Museum
    On display
  5. pride Flag
    Progress Pride flag, designed by Daniel Quasar, manufactured by Custom Flag Company Inc., 2020, Westminster
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  6. evening ensemble
    (Detail) Pérou evening ensemble, designed by Christian Dior, by Bodin Brossin, 1954, Paris, France
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  7. Costumes
    Costumes for 'Le Train Bleu', designed by Coco Chanel, 1924
    On loan
  1. plate
    'Variations on a Geometric Theme' plate, designed by Eduardo Paolozzi, manufactured by Josiah Wedgwood and sons, about 1970, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent, England
    On loan
  2. vase
    Portland Vase, by Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, 1793, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England
    V&A Wedgwood Collection
    On display
  3. painting
    Wedgwood family portrait, oil painting, by George Stubbs, 1780, England
    V&A Wedgwood Collection
    On display
  4. vase
    Lessore Vase, painted by Emile Aubert Lessore, made by Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, about 1863, England
    V&A Wedgwood Collection
    On display
  5. yellow and black oval medallion
    Anti-slavery medallion, by Josiah Wedgwood and sons, about 1787, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, England
    V&A Wedgwood Collection
    Not on display
  6. teapot in the shape of a cauliflower
    Teapot moulded in the shape of a cauliflower, by Josiah Wedgwood and sons, 1765, Stoke-on-Trent, England
    V&A Wedgwood Collection
    On display
  7. trial tray
    Jasperware trials mounted on a wooden tray, by Josiah Wedgwood and sons, 1773 – 76, Stoke-on-Trent, England
    V&A Wedgwood Collection
    On display
  8. teapot
    Teapot, designed by Douglas Baillie Hamilton Cochrane, manufactured by Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, 1906
    V&A Wedgwood Collection
    On display
  9. Detail of brightly coloured bowl
    Detail of 'Fairyland Lustre' bowl, by Josiah Wedgwood and sons, about 1923, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, England
    V&A Wedgwood Collection
    On display
  1. installation
    Place (Village), installation, by Rachel Whiteread, about 1995 – 2015, London
    Young V&A
    On display
  2. installation
    Planetarium, installation, by Tristan Blondeau, 2023, Paris, France
    Young V&A
    On display
  3. print
    The Self-Portrait, print, by Quentin Blake, 2010, UK
    Young V&A
    On display
  4. dolls' house
    Bettiscombe, dolls' house, about 1870, England
    Young V&A
    On display
  5. soft toy
    Pikachu, soft toy, manufactured by Deutshe Toy GMBH, 1995 – 99, Munich, Germany
    Young V&A
    On display
  6. bionic arm
    'Hero Arm', Open Bionics, 3D printed bionic arm for a child, Bristol, England
    Young V&A
    On display
  7. computer
    Amstrad CPC 464 Computer, manufactured by Amstrad, 1984, England
    Young V&A
    On display
  8. film hoarding
    Devdas, film hoarding, by Balkrishna Arts, 2002, London, England
    Young V&A
    On display
  9. toys
    Death Star, designed by Bjarke Lykke Madsen, designed by Bas Brederode, manufactured by The LEGO Group, 2011 – 12, Denmark
    Young V&A
    On display
  1. ensemble
    Cut, Slash & Pull, ensemble, by Vivienne Westwood, 1990, England
    V&A East Museum
    On display
  2. A distressed canvas Union Flag frockcoat with v-neck and high-backed collar, with tears, burn marks, discolourations over it.
    Costume, designed by Alexander McQueen, designed by Bowie, David, 1996, Great Britain
    V&A East Storehouse
    On display
  3. powder bowl
    Powder bowl, made by Halex Ltd, 1930 – 39, Walthamstow, London, England
    V&A East Storehouse
    On display
  4. t-shirt
    Hackney Lesbian Strength and Gay Pride 1993, t-shirt, maker unknown, 1993, England
    V&A East Storehouse
    On display
  5. tracksuit
    Tracksuit showing scenes from the 2011 East London riots, by SIBLING, 2012, London, England
    V&A East Storehouse
    On display
  6. A pink chiffon dress with ruffles created by smocking on the bodice and skirt which frame the wide, off-the-shoulder neckline
    Daria dress, by Molly Goddard, 2019, London
    V&A East Museum
    On display
  7. sculpture
    Reunion VI: Underneath the Surface, terracotta sculpture, by Bisila Noha, 2022, London, England
    V&A East Museum
    On display
  8. Blue painted wooden chair with a clothes hanger style hook on the yellow back rest
    Captain hook chair frame, by Yinka Ilori
    V&A East Museum
    On display
A gloved hand takes the lid off a ceramic jar
a gloves hand holds a Japanese netsuke
two people unpack a punk hat in a study centre

Order an Object

Get closer to the objects within our stores.

  • Choose an object to view
  • Decide when to view it
  • Visit your object for free

V&A Shop

Browse the V&A Shop range
Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art embroidery kit

V&A EXCLUSIVE

Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art embroidery kit

£65

A. Garcelon orange zigzag tape measure

V&A EXCLUSIVE

A. Garcelon orange zigzag tape measure

£8

Butterfly embroidered patch

Sale

Butterfly embroidered patch

£4 £2

Wooden folding ruler

Wooden folding ruler

£14

V&A Arts & Crafts button - assorted

V&A EXCLUSIVE

V&A Arts & Crafts button - assorted

£2.50

Seam ripper

Seam ripper

£3.75

Shaun the Sheep embroidered patch

Shaun the Sheep embroidered patch

£4.50

Pink poppy embroidered patch

Pink poppy embroidered patch

£3

Golden paisley coat button

Golden paisley coat button

£10

Black and white enamel coat button

Black and white enamel coat button

£10

Red floral coat button

Red floral coat button

£10

Escape needlepoint kit by Wool and the Gang

Escape needlepoint kit by Wool and the Gang

£25

English Summer Butterflies needlepoint kit

English Summer Butterflies needlepoint kit

£80

Gold heart embroidered patch

Gold heart embroidered patch

£3

Auguste H. Thomas cream floral tape measure

V&A EXCLUSIVE

Auguste H. Thomas cream floral tape measure

£8

Strawberry Thief bookmark cross stitch kit

Strawberry Thief bookmark cross stitch kit

£20

DIY Portugal tile needlepoint kit

DIY Portugal tile needlepoint kit

£25

Wildflowers embroidery kit by Wool and the Gang

Wildflowers embroidery kit by Wool and the Gang

£20

William Morris tulip needlepoint kit by Ehrman

William Morris tulip needlepoint kit by Ehrman

£75

Strawberry Thief cross stitch kit

Strawberry Thief cross stitch kit

£45

Golden Lily cross stitch kit

Golden Lily cross stitch kit

£45

Wallace and Gromit embroidered patch

Wallace and Gromit embroidered patch

£4.50

C.F.A Voysey River needlepoint kit by Ehrman

C.F.A Voysey River needlepoint kit by Ehrman

£100

Scorpio coat button

Scorpio coat button

£10

Header image: 'Sepia Butterfly', photograph, by Jenny Baptiste, photographed 1993, printed 2024, London, UK. Museum no. S.18-2025. © Jennie Baptiste / Victoria and Albert Museum, London