Choose a collection object and the V&A will bring it out

Choose an object on a museum website, then book a time to see it. The V&A's Order an Object service lets visitors select objects from storage and examine them up close, free of charge. The list resembles a shopping basket, but what is being requested is time with an object: a hat or textile that prompts a visit to the museum.

The service began when V&A East Storehouse opened in May 2025 and is now also available at South Kensington. It is not limited to professional researchers. Visitors can filter the online collection for appointments and add items displaying an “Order this Object” button. Up to five objects from the same location can be requested at once.

Appointments last from one to four hours, including around 15 minutes of orientation. Large or complex objects may mean fewer than five can be viewed. Choosing details to examine closely suits the service better than selecting many objects to rush through. Visitors may bring one companion, and people aged 16 and over may apply independently.

Close viewing comes with staff guidance. Before the appointment, the museum assesses each object's vulnerable areas, potential hazards, and security requirements. Staff explain safe viewing on the day and may provide gloves, magnifiers, or lighting. Some objects cannot be handled directly, so an appointment does not mean unrestricted access to touch everything.

The official photographs show staff taking silk shoes from storage, opening a box containing a hat, and unfolding a textile by Lucienne Day. Rather than seeing an object from one direction in a gallery, visitors choose it and spend time looking closely. Personal cameras, pencils, and sketchbooks are welcome, subject to the instructions for photography and handling.

For someone who wants to linger over one particular object, this changes the order of a museum visit. The choice comes before the walk through the galleries. An object selected online becomes the physical thing waiting at an appointment. The visitor helps decide where the day's looking begins.