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Unboxing the David Bowie Archive
One-day course
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Being up close with treasured objects from the V&A's collections brings your learning to life. Spend time with our incredible collections, alongside expert tutors and your fellow learners.
Tickets available from 10.00 on Wednesday, 4 February 2026
This Study Day will explore in detail the David Bowie Archive Cataloguing Project, a project to plan, process and catalogue the David Bowie Archive.
Through lectures, tours, Q&As and object sessions with archivists and curators, the day will include in-depth insight into the archive, including the complexities of processing this landmark acquisition and highlights and discoveries made along the way.
Archivist Sabrina Offord and Curator Harriet Reed, who led the cataloguing project, will introduce the day and give an overview of the archive itself, with the cataloguing team providing fascinating glimpses into different areas of the collection, from Bowie’s unrealised projects to alternate costumes for Ziggy Stardust.
Attendees will view items up-close in the Study Centre including archival material and objects, giving unique insight into how Bowie himself organised and used his archive. They will also receive a tour of the David Bowie Centre, including a display of highlights from the archive.
For more details, see V&A Academy questions.
Suitable for participants aged 18 or over.
For more details, see V&A Academy questions.
Suitable for participants aged 18 or over.
Study Day Leaders
Harriet Reed and Sabrina Offord
Harriet Reed is Curator of Contemporary Performance at the V&A and is part of the curatorial team behind The David Bowie Centre. Sabrina Offord is a professional archivist and is the archive lead on the David Bowie Archive Project.
I loved every minute. It was a wonderful and varied programme. Completely absorbing. Previous V&A Academy Course Attendee
Course overview
Join us for a day with the David Bowie Archive Cataloguing Project team, who will unpack how this major acquisition was planned and processed, as well as revealing some of the highlights and discoveries along the way.
Membership Priority Booking will open at 10.00 GMT on 4 February 2026. General Booking will open at 10.00 GMT on Thursday 12 February 2026.
Being up close with treasured objects from the V&A's collections brings your learning to life. Spend time with our incredible collections, alongside expert tutors and your fellow learners.
Enrol now
One-day course: Unboxing the David Bowie Archive
6 July 2026
£150.00
Tickets not available yet
Need help enrolling? Talk to the admissions team:
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Open 10.00 - 13.00, Monday to Sunday (closed 24-26 December)
Header image: Photograph of David Bowie applying make-up as Ziggy Stardust. Photography taken by Mick Rock, 1973. Image courtesy of Mick Rock/the Victoria and Albert Museum