Victoria and Albert Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum began as a direct response to the massive success of the Great Exhibition of 1851, the world’s first international showcase of industrial and decorative arts. Prince Albert, the driving force behind that event, used the significant financial surplus generated by the exhibition to purchase land here in South Kensington. His vision was to create a permanent institution that would serve as a schoolroom for everyone, specifically aiming to improve the quality of British design and manufacturing by putting global craftsmanship on public display.