V&A Storehouse : A Museum Like No Other

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A treasure-filled warehouse

Opened in May 2025 in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, East London, V&A Storehouse gives public free access to the V&A’s vast working collection. 
  
Home to more than 250,000 objects, 350,000 library books, and 1,000 archives, it houses the national collection of art, design, fashion, and performance.  Displays are organized around three themes: 
  1. Collecting Stories —V&A’s role as a national collector
  2. Sourcebook for Design — how the collection inspires designers and communities
  3. Working Museum — how the museum operates behind the scenes 
Highlights include:        
  • David Bowie Centre — Dedicated to Bowie’s archive, including costumes, lyrics, photographs, and stage
  • Torrijos Ceiling — A 15th-century Spanish ceiling displayed overhead
  • Frankfurt Kitchen — Modern domestic design by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky
  • Kaufmann Office — A mid-century interior by Frank Lloyd Wright
  • Conservation Overlook — Watch specialists examine and preserve objects
  • Study Centre — Students, researchers and visitors 'Order an Object’ to view and handle — first in the world of its kind
The V&A Storehouse turns museum storage into an engaging public experience. 
www.vam.ac.uk ✆ +44 2079 422000

Fortnum's new striking staircase

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Few department stores are as iconic as Fortnum & Mason and its newly unveiled three-story staircase is a striking addition to the historic Piccadilly flagship. Officially opened in November 2025 by His Majesty King Charles III, it marks the store’s most ambitious architectural project since 1707.



Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s vision of a double helix — one of only a few worldwide.  The unique DNA-style structure allows two-way traffic without paths crossing and provides a dramatic focal point.
Comprising 132 steps and more than 2,600 hand-forged details, including 660 camellia flowers shaped and assembled by master blacksmiths.  It is truly remarkable engineering feat and modern addition to historic 300-year old institution.

Bonus : At the top of the staircase, there is a small display of architectural renderings and photographs, including ones from the unveiling.
 www.fortnumandmason.com ✆ +44 2077 348040