V&A East in Stratford brings fashion treasures to the Olympic Park

East London has become one of the most exciting places in Britain to see fashion history up close. With the opening of the V&A East Museum in April 2026, the Victoria and Albert Museum now has two free sites on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, both packed with treasures for anyone who loves clothes and design.

The first to open was the V&A East Storehouse, in May 2025. Designed by the American studio Diller Scofidio and Renfro, it offers behind the scenes access to the V&A's collections and holds more than 250,000 objects, 350,000 books and 1,000 archives. It welcomed more than 500,000 visitors in its first year.

Fashion fans will find plenty to love. The Storehouse's holdings include pieces by Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen, and it is home to the David Bowie Centre, which holds more than 90,000 objects from Bowie's archive, including a rail of his costumes.

The V&A East Museum followed, opening to the public on 18 April 2026 after a preview on 14 April. Designed by the Dublin practice O'Donnell and Tuomey, it is the V&A's sixth site. Its two permanent Why We Make galleries show more than 500 objects across art, architecture, design, performance and fashion, including a 1744 gown made with silk designed by Anna Maria Garthwaite.

The museum's current major exhibition, The Music is Black: A British Story, runs until 10 January 2027.

Both buildings sit in East Bank, a new cultural and education district that also includes BBC Music Studios, Sadler's Wells East, UCL East and the London College of Fashion, making the area a hub for creative learning as well as visiting.

Entry to both sites is free, though some exhibitions and events are ticketed. They open daily from 10am to 6pm, with late openings until 10pm on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The V&A East Storehouse is on Parkes Street, E20 3AX, and the V&A East Museum is at East Bank, 107 Carpenters Road, E20 2AR, both a walk from Stratford station. For exhibitions and booking, visit vam.ac.uk/east.