V&A South Kensington

This beautiful museum boasts one of the world's largest collections of decorative art. All the rooms have been modernized and redesigned for the museum's ^150th anniversary. Founded in 1852 with a focus on manufactured goods, it has metamorphosed into the Museum of Decorative Arts, now including a school of design: the Royal College of Art. Then, in 1857 and with the support of Prince Albert, the museum moved to South Kensington. Londoners call it the V&A. Its beautiful red and white stone architecture and pleasant central garden will win over even the most unimpressed visitor. In the lobby, don't miss the impressive Murano glass sculpture by artist Chihuly. You could easily spend several days at the V&A, so varied are the collections and so many of the pieces on display, cleverly blending the old and the new. You won't know where to turn, and you might even get lost. The museum's collections are divided into several themes, and here's a brief overview so you don't miss a thing (or at least give it a try):

Ceramics. One of the major new features of the V&A's refurbishment is the revival of its impressive collection of ceramics, spanning the period from 3500 BC to the present day. Re-exhibited for the first time in 100 years, the unprecedentedly extensive collection (26,500 objects) is particularly rich in pieces from Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Sculpture. This very fine department features casts made to enable students to discover works of art without having to travel to the various countries in which they are housed. This ^19th-century collection provides an overview of major works from Roman times onwards. The Trajan column stands next to the portals of medieval cathedrals, and the recumbent figures of several kings and queens lie next to major works by masters such as Michelangelo and Donatello. The result is impressive, as heterogeneous as it is majestic, largely due to the actual size of the casts. Many Rodins are also on display.

Asian art. This is a major collection of works from East, South and Southeast Asia, as well as the Middle East. Furniture, objects, clothing, curios and sacred art are all on display. From Buddha statues to Japanese lacquered furniture, from Indian costumes to Mongolian miniatures, the collections are sumptuous.

Paintings and drawings. Here, too, you'll find such marvels as a portrait of^Madame de Pompadour and works by Rossetti. Raphael's tapestry cartoons depicting episodes in the lives of the apostles Peter and Paul also impress. In 2021, the tapestries were restored to their former glory. A marvel not to be missed!

Fashion and textiles. Several rooms are dedicated to fabrics, displayed in slides that need to be pulled out to admire the different patterns and textures that make up the history of fabric over the centuries. In the fashion gallery, you can admire costumes from different eras.

Photo. We also like the small photo section, featuring shots of the mythical Crystal Palace and photographs by Martin Parr.

Jewelry. More than 3,000 pieces of jewelry tell the story of jewelry.