ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

V&A Photography Centre Opens in London with Expanded Galleries

exhibition · 2026-05-04

Phase One of the new Photography Centre at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London has officially launched, effectively doubling the available space for photography. Situated in the northeast wing, this expansion includes four galleries that cover around 600 square meters, created by David Kohn Architects over a span of ten months. The entrance showcases 150 cameras from the past 160 years, with seven models available for visitors to experiment with. The inaugural gallery displays experimental cameras by William Henry Fox Talbot, along with early works by Talbot, Julia Margaret Cameron, and Roger Fenton. The opening exhibition features more than 600 items, including pieces by Thomas Ruff, Linda McCartney, and Gianni Penati. Phase Two is anticipated for 2022, which will introduce a public research area and a photographic residency.

Key facts

  • Phase One of the V&A Photography Centre opened in October 2018.
  • The centre is located in the northeast wing of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
  • It comprises four new galleries totaling approximately 600 square meters.
  • The design was by David Kohn Architects and took ten months to complete.
  • The entrance displays 150 cameras spanning 160 years of photography.
  • Works by William Henry Fox Talbot, Julia Margaret Cameron, and Roger Fenton are featured.
  • Thomas Ruff created over 20 digitally processed prints (80x140 cm) inspired by Linnaeus Tripe's negatives.
  • Phase Two is scheduled to open in 2022 with a public research space and photographic residency.

Entities

Artists

  • William Henry Fox Talbot
  • Julia Margaret Cameron
  • Roger Fenton
  • Thomas Ruff
  • Linnaeus Tripe
  • Linda McCartney
  • Mary McCartney
  • Gianni Penati
  • Mario Bucolo

Institutions

  • Victoria and Albert Museum
  • David Kohn Architects
  • East India Company
  • Royal Photographic Society
  • Artribune

Locations

  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • India
  • Burma

Sources