Losing a few hours in the Victoria and Albert Museum

If you want to visit somewhere that is a treasure trove of amazing things to see, as well as being free to enter, then the Victoria and Albert Museum in London is ideal. It is the world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design, with a permanent collection of over 4.5 million artefacts. With this in mind, you can imagine how easy it is to lose yourself in this vast gallery of beautiful and fascinating objects.

Upon entering the museum, you will find yourself with a huge amount of choices of where to start. The layout is confusing admittedly, but if you don’t mind where you go, then it is best to begin wandering and see where you end up. There is for the art-lover to see, including the medieval collection, the galleries supporting English architecture and don’t forget the fashion exhibitions, in which clothing serves as a testament to its eras.

We started by checking out the Renaissance gallery, with its lavish artwork. Some of the pieces have been painstakingly restored, making it easier to imagine what they were like when they were created. The light, spacious galleries, which held artwork from Italy, Spain, France and Germany, were pleasant to wander through. The art was predominantly made in the Christian tradition, so is worth a look if that is your thing.

The Victoria and Albert Museum also offers visitors the chance to escape to Japan, by marvelling at the beautiful embroidery, exquisitely made fans and colourful kimonos. We admired the rich, vibrant decorations and the intricate work that must have gone into them. From here, take a stroll throughout the whole of Asia, taking in the diverse designs of the region.

Admittedly, my favourite part was the Norfolk House Music room which retains the panelling and doorways from the Great Room of Norfolk House. It is beautifully decorated in a French manner, with gilt edging around the walls. It reminded me of an elegant age, in which nobility received guests in the music room.

You need several days to explore the Victoria and Albert Museum, so please forgive me if I missed out entire exhibitions and rushed through several galleries.  A visit to this London museum gives visitors the chance to learn more about people, places and things they already thought that they knew about. We were still there at closing time, however, by this point, we were lost in the vast expanse of the museum and found it hard to find our way out. An added bonus of the Victoria and Albert Museum is that it offers late-night closing on Fridays, so is a perfect way to relax after a busy week.

A museum is a wonderful place for relaxation and to relieve the stresses of modern life. After all, it is a quiet, calm and tranquil place, in which a visitor can stroll, surrounded by world- class works of art. You can visit on your own or with friends. The Victoria and Albert Museum is arguably the best of its kind, so make sure that if you’re in the area, you lose a few hours there.

First published on Little Bit Magazine