When the team working on Young V&A asked kids what they thought of museums, "boring" was the answer most of the time. From July 1, the museum will open what they call "the most joyful museum in the world," which they hope will change this idea. It will be the first free museum of its kind that is made just for kids up to age 14. It also signals a change in the way people think about how museums can be important places for young people to visit. The Young V&A used to be the Museum of Childhood. In 2019, the Museum of Childhood will close for a £13 million, three-year renovation led by AOC Architecture. The museum looked at models from the UK, Europe, and the US, like the Bay Area Discovery Museum in California and Eureka! in Halifax, before starting a consultation process with more than 22,000 children, parents, caregivers, educators, and SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) specialists to help shape the new design and display.
The new gallery is split into three rooms for people of different ages: The 'Play' area is an open landscape that looks out over the museum grounds. It is a "mini-museum" focused on the tactile qualities of the items in the collection. It was made with pre-walkers in mind. The Young V&A's biggest piece, an Italian marionette theater from the 18th century, is in the "Imagine" section. There is also a stage for shows by and for children. "Design" is for older kids and tries to get them to think creatively through hands-on games and displays of famous inventions made by young people. Major works are also on display, like Rachel Whiteread's Place (Village), which is a towering display of 100 dolls houses made in response to the dolls houses in the museum's collection.
In the museum's three new galleries, visitors will find architectural features, interactive displays, and works made with children. These include a kaleidoscopic staircase inspired by optical illusion toys in the collection and a new display of portraits by photographer Rehan Jamil made with young people from the nearby Mile End Community Project. There is also a place to build a den, a big marble run, and a place to take a picture of yourself. Simpson says that all of these things have been done on purpose. She says, "Most of all, we wanted to put our egos and ideas aside and give the new generation something that means something to them." "I think it's important to trust your audience's intelligence, especially if they are young. We wanted to make something that shows how important our guests are to us."
Selena Mattei