V&A East Museum & Galleries officially opens 18th April

V&A East Museum, a new museum dedicated to young adults, has officially opened. JA Projects – working as part of an entirely East London team alongside A Practice for Everyday Life and artist Larry Achiampong – designed the museum’s two permanent Why We Make galleries, as well as a site-wide strategy for displays across 4 floors of circulation spaces.

At the heart of the project is a commitment to honour the lived histories, creativity and embedded knowledge of East London’s diverse communities – establishing a museum that feels like an extension of the public spaces that connect the surrounding four Olympic boroughs and support the life that gives London its energy.

Working closely with the V&A East Youth Collective, the design reaches out to, welcomes, and channels the dynamism of the places where young people already ‘make space’ – East London’s parks and open spaces, filled with the smells and sounds of gatherings, and its high streets, which host moments of everyday exchange, craft and display.

The result is a suite of spaces that feel new and familiar at the same time, with displays embracing contrast and encouraging visitors to seek out stories that resonate with them. Within the galleries, incredible objects sit side by side with moments of making and interaction, allowing visitors to engage with the museum collection in new ways.

Our approach rethinks the infrastructure of a contemporary museum – how galleries are designed, assembled and adapted over time. Principles of longevity and flexibility inform designs that are modular and adaptable, while materials – such as naturally fallen London Plane timber and bespoke 100% recycled plastics – are rich in narrative and light in ecological footprint.

Through the collaborative efforts of many hands, V&A East Museum is a dynamic, inclusive and future-facing institution that pays homage to, and channels, East London’s unique sense of community, creativity and connection.

V&A East Museum opens to the public from April 18th 2026.

Image credits David Parry