A series of installations and interventions across the V&A's permanent galleries for the London Design Festival, linked by a 25-minute trail.
V&A x LDF: Awakenings is running at V&A South Kensington from 12 September to 18 October, as part of London Design Festival 2026. It's not a single exhibition in one room, but a series of installations and interventions spread across three floors of the museum's permanent galleries. They're all linked by a trail that takes about 25 minutes to walk, and you can do it by lift or by stairs, with a step-free route available if you need it.
The programme asks how design, craft and technology can inspire new perspectives, spark curiosity and bring to light invisible yet interconnected forces. A few of the pieces root themselves in AI and the future of work, so it's as much about where we're heading as what's on the walls. Because the works are tucked into the permanent galleries rather than a dedicated space, you'll find them sitting alongside the museum's usual collections.
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There's a talk to go with it, Awakenings: Artists and Curator in Conversation, on Saturday 17 October, so if you're into hearing the people behind the work talk through it, that's the day to aim for. The whole series closes on 18 October, though one work stays on display until 10 January, so you've got a bit of a window to catch it. Admission is free, and the museum is at Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL.
