What is the Curators’ Lives Archive?
Within the institutional archives of the V&A sits a little-known collection of oral histories. Aptly named ‘The Curators’ Lives’, this project was devised by Research Fellow Linda Sandino and, as of today, the series is comprised of interviews with nearly 50 museum professionals from the V&A. The purpose of these oral history interviews was to detail both their lives within and outside of the museum and their work that can still be seen in the galleries today.
This archive houses nearly 100 years of behind-the-scenes stories of the V&A with some of the interviewees being appointed as early as the 1930s, and others joining the team more recently and continuing their museum work to this day. The recordings highlight how the Museum’s curatorial focuses have developed and reflect changing cultural interests and concerns.
Reflecting the vast experience of different museum positions, the interviews offer an expansive perspective of the workings of the museum from curators and department heads, research and museum assistants, superintendents, and even previous directors.
What are the interviews about?
Interviewees know more about their lives than does the interviewer, and through their use of descriptive passages, narrators construct stories in order to represent the past.
Linda Sandino in Oral History in the Visual Arts (2013), p. 11.
One aspect of the museum’s history that the interviews are particularly successful in illuminating is how the museum acquired various pieces of work, many of which can still be seen in the galleries. For instance, you can hear Malcom Baker, a previous Assistant Keeper of Sculpture, discuss the success story of how the V&A acquired Antonio Canova’s masterpiece, ‘The Three Graces’ (c. 1814-17). Or you can listen to some of Barbara Morris’ fascinating stories about the now-closed Circulation department, which was designed to create a wide range of traveling exhibitions with different museum objects and collections to be shared with museums and colleges across the UK and beyond. For instance, you can hear Barbara, a previous V&A Research Assistant, explain how the V&A acquired over 800 biscuit tins from one man, Michael Franklin. These tins remain in the V&A’s collection: Many of these can be seen in galleries at South Kensington, such as in Ironwork, Room 114c, or the British galleries, Room 125 b & c, while those not currently on display can be viewed via the Order an Object appointment system (which you can find out more about here).
The interviews also offer personal perspectives on key events in the museum’s history, such as the removal and storage of items during World War II, and the engraving of the museum wall at the Exhibition Road entrance, which details and memorialises the damage to the walls evidencing the effects of bombing during the Blitz. Those who were interviewed also shed light on the museum’s previous directors and their differing management styles and focuses, as well as moments of historical restructuring, such as the closure of Circulation in 1977.
Within these oral histories, you can also hear about the triumphs of the V&A and the passionate staff that were instrumental in its development, like the project planning and 2009 opening of the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries which were seven years in the making!
What’s more, the collection is an amazing way to see the people that are and always have been at the heart of the museum’s work. Strong and interesting characters can be observed when you’re listening, and it feels as though you are sat with them as they describe the narratives of their lives both within and outside the V&A walls.
Is the whole archive digital?
While the interviews are digital, the archive also has a variety of associated materials and papers that were graciously given to the V&A by those who were interviewed. These files are full of treasures such as photographs of previous staff members, files containing display sketches and object lists and photographs for travelling exhibitions, as well as comedic poems about museum departments written by ex-V&A staff in the 1930s.
These are a great accompaniment to the interviews as you can not only hear their stories but you can also physically hold their life’s work, see their handwriting and drawings, and envision the life of the V&A at different points in history.
How can I access this archive?
I’m currently cataloguing the Curators’ Lives archive which will be published on Search the Archives so they’ll be searchable. My work so far has focused on listening to the interviews and exploring the archive and other resources, before cataloguing both the interviews and associated materials.
The oral histories in this collection offer us access to personal memories and narratives, and allow us to peek inside the museum doors at various moments in history to hear the multi-faceted stories of how the museum got to where it is today.
And here is a sneak peak:
Interested in finding out more?
On Monday 12th January 2026, I will be doing a short talk in the National Art Library about the Curators’ Lives archive, highlighting some of the fascinating interviews and showing some of the physical materials that will be available to view via appointment soon. The talk starts at 2pm, so hopefully I will see you there!
