There are free permanent galleries Why We Make, artist commissions New Work, and temporary exhibitions. Designed with young people in mind, these spaces are particularly suited to Key Stages 3 to 5.
Please note, as a gallery space looking at contemporary issues and themes, there are some instances of nudity, as well as discussions of sexuality, gender, racism and protest.
Workshops
Our Creative Learning workshops are delivered at V&A East Storehouse, which is a short walk from V&A East Museum.
Self-guided visits
We welcome self-guided school visits. All self-guided visits must be booked online, in advance.
Admission to V&A East Museum is free. A separate charge may apply to our workshops. We accept bookings for our Schools and Colleges programme from registered schools only.
We do not accept third-party provider bookings. We do not currently accept bookings from home schools or agencies.
Please call +44 (0)20 7942 2200 as soon as possible if you need to change or cancel your visit, or if you anticipate being late for your time slot.
Temporary Exhibitions
V&A East Museum hosts temporary exhibitions. These ticketed exhibitions are free to school and college groups visiting V&A East on selected days.
Current Exhibition
Schools and Colleges can book a free self‑guided visit to the exhibition on dates available from June – December 2026.
If you are a teacher and are hoping to come on a pre-visit to support with your planning, please book a separate Teacher Ticket for the exhibition. Teacher Tickets can only be booked after your school booking has been confirmed, by calling +44 (0)20 7942 2200 or emailing the team.
Teaching resources
We have a range of free teaching resources for you to use before and after your visit to V&A East Museum.
Download our free schools resources to inspire learning across the curriculum.
The Music is Black: A British Story
The Music is Black: A British Story is the first exhibition to be held at the new V&A East Museum in Stratford, East London.
Developed in collaboration with the V&A East Learning & Engagement team, BBC Bitesize have launched a series of resources for secondary school teachers celebrating the contribution of Black Music makers from the 1900s to the present day.
Resources include an assembly pack and a series of three short films, covering everything from the popularity of jazz in Britain in the 1920s and 1930s to the evolution of UK Garage and Grime, and Stormzy's headline stage performance at the 2019 Glastonbury Festival.
The pack is suitable for Music and History teachers, as well as those looking to inspire students to discover and engage with the stories, creativity and lasting influence of Black music, while thinking critically about its role in shaping British history and identity.
Further V&A resources
We also support your teaching with the following resources:
Explore the Collections
Explore the Collections to find a wide range of fashion art & design objects to support your lesson plans.
YouTube
Our all-ages YouTube channel features a range of useful and inspiring content about creativity, art, design and performance.
Order an Object
Order an Object is a revolutionary free service where you can book time with objects from the collections. These free appointments allow you to select up to five objects, with experienced handling staff on hand to help you. Although we cannot currently offer Order an Object as part of a schools booking activity, we would encourage you to use the service at another time to inspire and support classroom learning, your own creative practice or research. Appointments can be made for individuals aged 16+, up to two weeks in advance and you can bring one guest.
Your visit
For details of how to get to V&A East Museum, our facilities, and what to expect when you arrive, please refer to our plan your visit page.
There are no coach-parking facilities at V&A East Museum. We recommend visiting us by public transport.
If you need to travel by vehicle for reasons of accessibility, please email the team for guidance.
Schools based within the Greater London Area may be eligible for free or discounted travel via public transport. Visit the TfL website for more information.
Arrival
On arrival, please check in at the main entrance on the Upper Ground floor (next to UAL London College of Fashion) with one of our Front of House staff. Our team will be able to check your booking and will direct you to the lockers.
Please note, the Main Entrance is step-free and wheelchair accessible.
Staying safe: adult/student ratios
Adult supervision is required at all times with the following adult-to-student ratios:
- 4 to 8 years – 1 adult: 6 children
- 9 to 12 years – 1 adult: 8 children
- 13 to 15 years – 1 adult: 10 children
- 16 to 18 years – 1 adult: 15 children
Please note, students are not permitted in galleries unaccompanied.
All teachers and accompanying adults are responsible for student supervision for the duration of your visit and must remain with the group at all times.
Teachers are the lead supervisor for their group and must ensure that students behave in a way that minimises the likelihood of accidents or damage.
To enable you and your students to have the best possible and safest experience whilst visiting us, we advise dividing your larger group into smaller sub-groups to move around the museum.
Please ensure each smaller group still meets our teacher to student ratios above.
Our friendly staff may ask you to split into smaller groups to participate in some of our interactive areas, so that they can be safely and fairly accessed by you and other visitors.
In case of evacuation and you are not able to re-enter the building, we will arrange for belongings in lockers to get back to you.
Access
If anyone in your group has any additional access needs and requires assistance, please let us know at the time of booking.
For information about access, please see our Access at V&A East Museum page, or call +44 (0)20 7942 2200.
Risk Assessment
You should carry out your own risk assessment before you visit and bring it with you on the day. Review our health and safety information for more guidance.
If required, you can email the team to request a copy of our risk assessment.
Facilities for schools and colleges
- There are no dedicated lunch spaces for groups at V&A East Museum
- If the weather permits, groups can eat lunch in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, opposite the museum
- There are limited lockers available for school and college groups. It is the lead teacher's responsibility to ensure lockers are secure. Items are left in the locker at your own risk
- There are gender-neutral toilets on each level of the museum, shared by both the public and group visitors. These are individual cubicles and are regularly cleaned throughout the day
- A dedicated quiet room is located on Level 1, available for anyone who may need a calm space during their visit. Students must be accompanied by a teacher
- Water fountains can be found on the Upper Ground floor
Conduct
- Teachers are responsible for students' behaviour and safety at all times
- Please remind your group not to touch objects or run
- Wet bags, coats and umbrellas must be put away in the lockers before entering the galleries
- You are welcome to draw in the museum. Please only use dry materials, for example, coloured or graphite pencils. For temporary exhibitions please check signage or ask a member of staff
Contact V&A East Museum
Contact Centre
Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 2200
Email: east@vam.ac.uk
Learning & Engagement team
Email: va-east-engagement@vam.ac.uk