Designed by Dublin-based practice O’Donnell + Tuomey, the building sets out to explore ‘making and creativity’s power to bring change’ – a theme that will resonate with anyone following the conversations we’ve been having on the Material Matters podcast.
At its core are the permanent Why We Make galleries (one of our favourite subjects), bringing together more than 500 objects from the V&A’s collection. Spanning art, architecture, design, performance and fashion, the displays move fluidly between topics such as identity, representation and environmental action – less a linear narrative, more an evolving set of questions.
Alongside this sits New Work, a twice-yearly programme of commissions. The inaugural edition, Making East London, features contributions from artists and practitioners including Tania Bruguera, Rene Matić, Justinien Tribillon, Carrie Mae Weems and Laura Wilson – each offering a distinct perspective on the area’s cultural fabric.
There are a handful of iconic pieces dotted about in unexpected places – we spotted Ron Arad’s Concrete Stereo on the stairwell, for instance.
The museum’s first major exhibition, The Music is Black: A British Story, sets an ambitious tone. Positioned as the largest show to date on the influence of Black British music, it traces a cultural lineage that extends far beyond the UK.
If the neighbouring V&A East Storehouse delivers immediate spectacle, V&A East feels more gradual in its impact, the kind of place that reveals itself over time, and rewards repeat visits.
For a deeper insight into the thinking behind the building, you can listen back to Grant’s conversation with John Tuomey, co-founder of O’Donnell + Tuomey, from the Material Matters podcast archives.
V&A East opens 18 April 2026
V&A East Museum
107 Carpenters Road
Stratford Cross
London E20 2AR