Our visit to the new V&A East, sited in London’s former Olympic park, felt more like an architectural and social experience than a conventional museum visit, especially when compared with the main V&A. It is very much a case of taking the building, with its origami-like suggestions as the primary “exhibit” — the space, ambience, and design carry much of the experience.

That said, this is not to suggest we were disappointed by what we saw in absolute terms, but it did fall short of expectations in terms of depth and substance. It is clearly a very different model from the traditional V&A experience.
The emphasis now appears to be on short, fragmented “art bites” rather than substantial, sustained exhibitions. While some of these are interesting — particularly the sections on making things, textiles, furniture, eco-friendly technology and fashion (including both historical and contemporary dresses) — the overall impression is of something intentionally light and selective rather than comprehensive.

The building itself is striking, and the terrace offers excellent views over London, which is one of the strongest elements of the visit.

However, there are significant practical and curatorial issues. The most frustrating aspect is accessibility: to see any of the major exhibitions, it is essential to book well in advance. When we visited, everything was fully booked, and we were unable to see the Black music exhibition at all. Our visit was therefore limited to the main ground and first floors, plus the top level.
Navigation outside the building also needs improvement. While movement inside is straightforward, actually finding the place felt like a treasure hunt, and getting there from Stratford station — including locating the correct bus — was unnecessarily difficult. These may be early operational issues, but they significantly affect the visitor experience.
The friendly and helpful staff made up for much of what was lacking in the signage and wayfinding
If visiting, it is also worth not forgetting the relatively nearby V&A East Storehouse, which we saw previously (https://longoio3.com/2025/07/01/expedition-to-the-east/) and which, in my opinion, has greater interest and depth than the main East site itself.
The visit also worked very well as a social experience — it is a good place to meet up with friends — and on the day itself the atmosphere was enhanced by that, as well as the fact that it was a pleasant outing.
In the end, the visit felt more like an exercise in exploring a new public space than engaging deeply with art. While the building itself is worth seeing, the experience felt somewhat thin but at least it’s not that big and exhausting like some museums. Compared with the main V&A — which remains a far richer and more structured encounter with art and design — this feels more like an experimental outpost still finding its identity.
It is still worth visiting, but expectations should be adjusted accordingly.