To ensure that the Order an Object service is safe for the V&A’s collections our visitors, and our staff, all users of the Order an Object service must abide by the following Terms and Conditions:
Use of the Order an Object Service
- The Order an Object service provides access to the V&A’s collection for everyone for free subject to these terms.
- To book an appointment you need to be 16 or over. Children under the age of 16 will need to be accompanied by someone 16 or over who will need to book the appointment and bring the under 16-year-old along as their guest. We reserve the right to not proceed with an appointment if we believe someone is under 16 and is unaccompanied.
- If you have booked to bring a guest with you to your appointment, whether they are an adult or a child under 16, you are responsible for their safety and behaviour.
Timekeeping
- Please arrive for your appointment on time. Your guest, if you booked to bring one, must arrive on time with you. If you have to cancel your appointment or arrive late or at the wrong location for any reason, we cannot guarantee that another appointment will be arranged within your required timeframe or at all.
Use, security and protection of the collections
- All items from the V&A’s collections (Collection Items) are for use within the designated appointment area only. You are responsible for all Collection Items and other materials issued to you until they are returned. We will hold you responsible for any loss or damage caused to the Collection Items while they are with you.
- All bags, including laptop bags and sleeves, handbags, briefcases and parcels must be left in the lockers located at the main entrance in Common Room East at V&A East Storehouse, or the lockers provided at V&A South Kensington, depending on the location of your appointment. Transparent carrier bags are available for transporting working materials to the appointment area if required. All personal belongings taken in and out of the appointment area are subject to inspection.
- The Collection Items must not be damaged or defaced in any way. Pencils, phones, headphones, laptops, and cameras for personal use may be used in the appointment areas without the need for prior permission. Other materials, for example, paints, scissors, glue and portable scanners, may only be brought into the appointment areas with our prior permission which we may grant or withhold at our discretion.
- Please treat all Collection Items and any other V&A materials with great care. Ask a member of staff if you or your guest need help or advice in handling any item, and please bring any existing damage to our attention. Handling guidance is available in the appointment areas and from our staff. Food and drink are not permitted in the appointment areas, including bottles of water, chewing gum and cough sweets.
Copying from the collections
- Copying from the collections must comply with current UK copyright legislation. The V&A permits you to sketch, copy or summarise items from the V&A’s collection for non-commercial research purposes only. You must acknowledge the copyright owner on your copy/summary. The V&A does not provide a hard copy printing service.
- Unless you are told otherwise, photography (with your own equipment, no flash) is permitted for non-commercial research purposes only and provided always that you acknowledge the copyright owner. Artificial lighting may be used in the areas allocated for this purpose. Photographs used for publication must be licensed from V&A Images.
- Information obtained from our unpublished collections relating to living individuals (assuming a lifespan of 100 years) must be used in accordance with the Data Protection Act, 2018 and the UK GDPR. It cannot be used in such a way that substantial damage or distress is likely to be caused to the individual, and it must not be made available in a form that identifies them without their written consent.
- Please seek legal advice if you are unsure of your rights under copyright or data protection legislation. The V&A cannot provide you with legal advice.
A pleasant environment for all
- Please be considerate towards our staff and visitors. Users of audio equipment should take care not to disturb other users, and mobile phones must be turned to silent mode.
- Please do not from taking photographs or videos of our staff or visitors unless they have told you that they are happy to be photographed or filmed.
- Staff are trained to be courteous and helpful. Please treat everyone with kindness and respect. Anyone who behaves in an inappropriate manner towards staff or other users, including swearing, raising their voice or making unwanted physical contact, will be asked to leave and we reserve the right to restrict your entry to all of our museum spaces if you breach these terms. If your guest is asked to leave for breaching these terms, you must leave with them.
- If you are not happy with any aspect of our service, you can contact us to give us feedback.
How we use your personal data
- The V&A is committed to the security and appropriate use of your personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 as amended from time to time (Data Protection Laws). The data obtained when you register for and use the Order an Object service is held internally in accordance with the Data Protection Laws. This data may include records of any incidents during your visit, breaches of our terms and conditions, or missed appointments. It will be used for administrative and security purposes only and will not be shared with any third party, except our external security providers in order to facilitate your appointment and potentially our software supplier if they need to investigate any system issues. The V&A aims to keep personal data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes described above.
- As part of your booking, you will receive a small number of standard service emails from us relating to your Order an Object appointment, booking confirmation, information about your upcoming visit, up to two appointment reminders and one post-visit email. We may also contact you ahead of your appointment if we need any clarification about your booking.
- For further information about how the V&A uses personal data you can review our Privacy Notice.
Changes to these terms
These terms and conditions were last updated in May 2025.
We may change or update these terms from time to time so please check this page occasionally to ensure that you're happy with any changes.