The newly renovated former Museum of Childhood has now officially opened. But here’s what critics have had to say about it…
The Guardian: “It is a tour de force of care, exhibiting a level of attention to detail rarely found in the built environment. What if buildings for grownups could be this joyful and inspiring too?”
The Observer: “This museum always felt like a miraculous toyshop. It still does, but with added wonder and joy.”
iNews: *** “No doubt many children and their families will enjoy and benefit from the new museum and its various outreach projects, including a residency by designer Clara Chu. But dedicating a museum to children highlights and perpetuates their exclusion elsewhere, not just in policy-making around the pandemic, but in their access to basic rights such as clean air and the freedom to play safely outside.”
The Telegraph: ***** “A £13 million revamp has turned London’s old – and faintly unsettling – Museum of Childhood into something for children of all ages.”
Evening Standard: “My son is frequently surprised and delighted – is there any better sight for a parent than pure, unexpected joy spreading over their child’s face? – But it’s the Play gallery’s interactive stuff he really loves, from creating magnetic marble runs (which sends colourful bouncy balls skittering across the gallery floor) to his first interaction with Minecraft in the games room. There is also a fair bit of arcade and hand-held video game nostalgia for parents there (I look forward boring my kids about it when they’re old enough).”
The Independent: **** “I’m standing looking at a kaleidoscope-inspired spiral staircase that reflects everything around it. It’s dazzling. “Wow!” says my seven-year-old daughter, Lola, standing next to me. Her eye has been caught by a different delight: an electric car suspended from the ceiling that looks like it’s shooting off the upper gallery.”
The Upcoming: ***** “This is a next-generation museum, a glorious gallery that makes you laugh with joy, with a wealth of resources all for free. Frankly, any parent would be mad not to take their kid here.”
To find out more about the Young V&A visit: https://www.vam.ac.uk/young