The display will open in the museum’s new East Storehouse in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which will also feature a Glastonbury Festival exhibition, costumes worn by singers PJ Harvey and Sir Elton John, and vintage football shirts. It will be the first of two V&A attractions opening in east London, with the V&A East Museum set to open in spring 2026, in the area which is being named East Bank. The East Storehouse will open on May 31, 2025, while the David Bowie Centre will open on September 13, 2025, with both being free to visit.
The David Bowie Centre will open in 2025. (Image: PA) More than 90,000 items of Bowie memorabilia will be on display at the centre including the handwritten lyrics to Fame (1975), Heroes (1977) and Ashes To Ashes (1980), and examples of the “cut up” method of writing introduced to Bowie by the writer William Burroughs. The centre will be spread across three zones, which will include curated displays, audio-visual installations and quieter study areas allowing visitors to view the Bowie archive on their own, from musical instruments to stage models.
Small displays will tell the stories behind the singer’s albums and also look at his multi-dimensional creative approach, including unrealised projects, collaborations, and influences. It comes after the V&A acquired David Bowie’s Archive with help from his estate, the Blavatnik Family Foundation and Warner Music Group. More than 90,000 pieces of items will be on display.
(Image: PA) The s.