V&A Dundee opens to the world



September 12, 2018

V&A Dundee opens its doors for the first time to the public on Saturday 15 September 2018. Today its beautiful, light-filled interiors designed by acclaimed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma have been revealed for the first time.

As Scotland’s first design museum, V&A Dundee tells a global story, investigating the international importance of design alongside presenting Scotland’s outstanding design achievements.

At the heart of the museum, the Scottish Design Galleries feature 300 exhibits drawn from the V&A’s rich collections of Scottish design, as well as from museums and private collections across Scotland and the world.

At the centre of these galleries stands the magnificent Charles Rennie Mackintosh Oak Room meticulously restored, conserved and reconstructed through a partnership between V&A Dundee, Glasgow Museums and Dundee City Council. Visitors to the museum will be able to experience once again Mackintosh’s extraordinary talent in designing this room, lost to view for nearly 50 years.

The ambitious international exhibition programme opens with Ocean Liners: Speed and Style, organised by the V&A and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, the first exhibition to explore the design and cultural impact of the ocean liner on an international scale.

Major exhibitions are complemented by new commissions and installations including This, looped by Glasgow-based artist and former Turner prize nominee Ciara Phillips and Plain and Ornamental of Every Description by Maeve Redmond.

6 comments so far, view or add yours

Comments

Amazing space! Looking forward very much to my first visit probably the first of many.

Amazing building, amazing space and displays, words fail. Will be back many times

A long time coming but very much worth the wait. Fantastic building, beautiful interiors and a fascinating opening exhibition. Everyone who can, should get to V&A Dundee!!

I’m afraid I don’t share the enthusiasm of some of your other commentators. I feel that the basic interior is a waste of space: literally. Another floor could have been built in there and, as the lift goes from floor zero to 2, perhaps this was intended?

I’ve just returned from the ‘Videogames: Design/Play/Disrupt’ exhibition and, whilst I found it both instructive and entertaining, I was disapointed that there were no references to Dundee’s ‘Lemmings’ or’ Grand Theft Auto’. I appreciated that this exhibition has come to Dundee from the V&A in Kensington but surely the curator knew it was to go on to Dundee? This view may be parochial but there a lot of people in Dundee who are not aware of the contribution the city has made to this media genre.

What an anti-climax! The exterior is interesting but inside is a big, ugly empty space occupied almost entirely by an over-priced cafe and a lift-shaft. ‘World Class’ it is not. In fact in different parts of the country I’ve seen small, local museums much more impressive than this ‘fur coat and nae knickers’ museum. Having the name ‘V&A’ simple raises expectations that are quickly dashed as soon as you enter. An opportunity missed. Shame.

Add a comment

Please read our privacy policy to understand what we do with your data.

MEMBERSHIP

Join today and enjoy unlimited free entry to all V&A exhibitions, Members-only previews and more

Find out more

SHOP

Find inspiration in our incredible range of exclusive gifts, jewellery, books, fashion, prints & posters and much more...

Find out more