Private Tour, Highlights of the Victoria&Albert Museum

We start our tour in the lobby where we meet the founders of the museum, a magnificent bust shows Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Looking up towards the ceiling you can see the astonishing glass structure of the Chihuly Dale chandelier. As we walk through the museum you will notice it’s not just historical artefacts, indeed the collection is still growing, with modern pieces added regularly. This chandelier was arrived in 2001, hear how difficult it was to install. Next we head upstairs to explore the British galleries. Here we get a glimpse of life in England during the Tudor and Stuart periods. Make sure you stop at the Great Bed of Ware, guess how many people can squeeze in. 500 years may have passed since this period, but our ancestors obviously shared our taste for comfortable living.

Passing the wooden carvings of Royal Beasts, we arrive in an amazing room filled with Raphael Cartoons. Wander around, hear many stories and admire the cartoons, these very paintings were the pattern for tapestries commissioned by Pope Leo X for the Sistine Chapel. Time for some historical fashion, let’s explore the various styles of clothing from the 17th Century right through to 1960, in this, the worlds most comprehensive collection of dresses. From Europe we now make our way to Asia. Your guide will ensure you arrive to catch the Ardabil carpet when its fully lit so you can appreciate the intricate design. Next we find the life sized Tipu’s Tiger, an impressive wooden carving in its own right, this mechanical toy also houses a musical instrument. Heading back upstairs, the atmosphere of the museum changes slightly. Gone are the large spacious rooms and instead we find much smaller galleries packed with many different items, Silver Galleries, a Jewellery room and much more.

The Cast courts are yet another gem. There are two sections of the courts; first we can enjoy a view from above, before we walk amongst these amazing casts of famous structures of mainly Italian and Spanish origin. Listen and find out why there are so many and discover their purpose. Look inside the Trajan column and find the three Davids. Which one is the most famous one? We are now back in England, for a quick stop to learn a bit about the history of fire insurance following the great fore of London in 1666. We also have a chance to discover what homes in London looked like during the 17th century. We are reaching our final gallery to explore now, covering the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Here prepare to be amazed by the size of one of DaVinci’s notebooks. Admire the beautiful decoration on the Becket casket and learn about hunting culture whilst viewing the Bear hunt tapestry.