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EnglishIs admission to the V&A free, and which exhibitions charge extra?
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General admission to the V&A is free. The V&A describes itself as "a family of museums dedicated to the power of creativity," and its home page states plainly: "Admission is free." That covers entry to the permanent collections and the museum buildings across its sites — V&A South Kensington, Young V&A in Bethnal Green, V&A East Storehouse at Queen Elizabeth Park, V&A Dundee in Scotland, and the Wedgwood Collection in Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent.
The important condition is that free admission applies to general entry, not to everything inside. The same page notes that "some exhibitions and events carry a separate charge," so a ticketed show is an add-on to a free visit rather than a fee for getting in the door.
What costs extra
Special exhibitions are the main paid item. Prices are set per exhibition and vary by venue and, in some cases, by day of the week. The following figures come from the V&A's own listings:
| Exhibition or display | Venue | Price | Runs until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends | Young V&A | £12.50 | 15 November 2026 |
| The Music is Black: A British Story | V&A East Museum | £22.50 weekday / £24.50 weekend | 10 January 2027 |
| Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific | V&A South Kensington | £17.00 | 10 January 2027 |
| David Bowie Centre | V&A East Storehouse | £5.00 | Now open |
| Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art | V&A South Kensington | Sold out | 15 November 2026 |
| V&A x LDF: Awakenings (festival) | V&A South Kensington | Free | 18 October 2026 |
Two patterns are worth noting. First, not every ticketed item is an exhibition — the David Bowie Centre is listed as a display with a £5.00 charge, so it is worth checking individual listings rather than assuming only headline exhibitions cost money. Second, free events exist alongside paid ones, as the LDF festival shows, so "what's on" pages should be read item by item.
The membership route
A V&A Membership changes the calculation for anyone planning more than one paid show. The site lists these member benefits:
- Unlimited free entry to all exhibitions
- Access to two Member spaces
- 10% discount in all V&A Shops
- Members-only previews and events
The page also states "Members visit free," which applies to exhibitions that non-members pay for. The site does not publish a membership price in the material available here, so check the Buy Membership page for current cost before deciding whether it pays off against the exhibition prices above.
Practical points before you go
- Book paid exhibitions in advance. Several listings already show "Sold out" — Schiaparelli and Inside Aardman among them — which indicates demand can exceed capacity well before closing dates.
- Check the day of the week for V&A East Museum pricing. The Music is Black is priced differently on weekdays and weekends, so the date you choose affects the cost.
- Free entry does not mean everything is free. Budget for special exhibitions, displays like the Bowie Centre, and any events with a separate charge.
- The V&A is several sites, not one building. Confirm which venue hosts the exhibition you want — South Kensington, Bethnal Green, Queen Elizabeth Park, Dundee, or Barlaston — before travelling.
In short: you can walk into any V&A museum without paying, and you only need to buy a ticket when a specific exhibition or display is marked with a price.