The latest news and top stories on the Victoria and Albert Museum. A prominent London-based cultural institution, the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is the world’s largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design. Established in 1852, its mission is to champion design and creativity for everyone, enriching lives through research knowledge and enjoyment of the designed world. The V&A houses over 2.8 million objects spanning 5,000 years of art from diverse cultures. Its main areas of focus include extensive collections of ceramics, textiles, furniture, jewellery, sculpture and Asian art. It is recognised for its significant contributions to art education and innovation.