The V&A in London is opening two new free displays this September, alongside a packed calendar of family events across its South Kensington, East and Young V&A sites through August and September 2026.
New displays opening in September
Sacred Treasures from Kyiv opens on Monday 14 September at V&A South Kensington. It’s a free display of seven examples of Ukrainian sacred art from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, shown in the UK for the first time.
On Monday 22 September, The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon opens in the Prince Consort Gallery, tracing the trench coat’s journey from practical military wear to fashion icon. Entry is free.
Family days out at Young V&A
Families can visit Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends at Young V&A, running until Sunday 8 November. The exhibition features over 150 items from Aardman’s archive, including props, set models and storyboards from Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep. Tickets are £12.50.
Young V&A also runs free weekly drop-in sessions, including Sideways Play for children of all ages on Fridays until 21 August, and gentle sensory sessions for children with additional needs on Wednesdays until 19 August.
Music and DJ nights at V&A East
V&A East Museum launches upperground, a new weekly DJ residency running every Thursday evening until 24 September, free to attend. Nearby in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, The Music is Black Festival returns for its penultimate weekend on 22 and 23 August, with this edition titled Queer Frequencies celebrating Black queer music culture.
For a grown-up night out, Young V&A hosts After Hours: Inside Aardman on Thursday 3 September, an over-18s evening with drop-in activities, a DJ, food and drinks.
Free talks and tours
V&A South Kensington runs several free, ongoing tours, including a Remarkable Women Tour every Saturday and an African and Caribbean Heritage tour on the first two Saturdays of each month. A dementia-friendly Closer Look Tour runs on Mondays until 30 November.
