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London: The Global City 1851 to 2020 (In-person)
Year course
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Your bespoke learning experience:
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
Interested in learning about London? Explore the changing landscapes and history of London from the creation of Albertopolis to dawn of the new millennium. A city shaped by empire and war, London was rebuilt and renewed as a global melting pot of cultures drawn from around the world.
A city shaped by empire, war and decolonisation, London has gone from the heart of a vast and powerful Empire, and an unrivalled centre of global trade and finance to a global melting pot, shaped by the twin forces of modernisation and migration, seen in its architecture, art and design. This term course will explore the rich cultural and social history of a city whose fortunes waxed and waned with rise and fall of Imperial Britain, but which has always been sustained by the creativity and genius of its peoples, drawn from the four corners of the globe.
...Want to know more? Take a look at the course programme for the full schedule, or book now to start your journey of discovery.
A city shaped by empire, war and decolonisation, London has gone from the heart of a vast and powerful Empire, and an unrivalled centre of global trade and finance to a global melting pot, shaped by the twin forces of modernisation and migration, seen in its architecture, art and design. This term course will explore the rich cultural and social history of a city whose fortunes waxed and waned with rise and fall of Imperial Britain, but which has always been sustained by the creativity and genius of its peoples, drawn from the four corners of the globe.
...Want to know more? Take a look at the course programme for the full schedule, or book now to start your journey of discovery.
Your bespoke learning experience:
- Ask the experts: Pose your questions directly to V&A experts and subject specialists in our Q&As.
- Behind-the-scenes learning: Access industry insights and learn about how collections are researched, conserved, and interpreted.
- Community of learners: Engage with fellow enthusiasts in a supportive, discussion-rich environment.
- Miss a week? No stress: Access recordings of all your lectures as well as study materials through your secure Microsoft Teams online course environment.
Looking to dive deeper? Upgrade your experience with five expert-led gallery talks.
For more details, see V&A Academy questions
This course is suitable for participants aged 18 and over.
For more details, see V&A Academy questions
This course is suitable for participants aged 18 and over.
V&A Academy Course Director
Mike Berlin
Mike Berlin is a Lecturer at Birkbeck College, University of London. He is a specialist in the social history of early modern London and has published extensively on the history of London’s guilds. Before joining Birkbeck, he was a research officer at the Centre for Metropolitan History, Institute of Historical Research.
A wonderful opportunity to learn in a world class museum Previous V&A Academy Course Attendee
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.
Course overview
A city shaped by empire, war and decolonisation, London has gone from the heart of a vast and powerful Empire, an unrivalled centre of global trade and finance to becoming a global melting pot, shaped by the twin forces of modernisation and migration, seen in its architecture, art and design. This term course will explore the rich cultural and social history of a city whose fortunes waxed and waned with rise and fall of Imperial Britain, but which has always been sustained by the creativity and genius of its peoples, drawn from the four corners of the globe. Drawing on the work of cultural and social historians, V&A curatorial staff, and experts on art, design and fashion, we will explore the vicissitudes of London’s greatness as a world city, from the creation of Albertopolis to the dawn of the new millennium.
Guest speakers
Matt Cook, Jonathan Cooper Chair of the History of Sexuality at Mansfield College, Oxford University.
Colin Grant, Homecoming: Voices of the Windrush Generation, London: Jonathan Cape, 2019
Enrol now
Year course: London: The Global City 1851 to 2020 (In-person)
22 April 2026 - 24 June 2026
£500.00
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)
Related events
Header image: Photograph by Paul Martin, 'London by Gaslight', modern toned print, 1970-2000