Young V&A wins 2024 Art Fund Museum of the Year

We are delighted to share the exciting news from our client De Matos Ryan that the Young V&A has won the 2024 Art Fund Museum of the Year after creating a unique space for children to loudly learn and explore their “creativity and curiosity”.

Working collaboratively with the V&A's team, De Matos Ryan led on the building’s Victorian heritage and space planning, improving circulation and introducing new lower ground spaces, while AOC Architecture led the design of the visitor experience, the museum look and feel, and the galleries.

The museum, which reopened as the Young V&A after a £13 million refurbishment in 2013, aims to inspire creativity today to support future learning of art and design.

Jenny Waldman, director of the Art Fund and chair of the judges for Art Fund Museum of the Year, said: “Young V&A is a truly inspirational museum. With a brief from its young co-designers to create ‘the world’s most joyful museum’, Young V&A has achieved that and more.

“It has radically reimagined the museum with and for young people, creating a museum experience that’s active, empowering and dynamic, centred on learning through play. Young V&A has established a deep engagement with its local community and, at the same time, it has become an international beacon for what a children’s museum can be.

“I give my warmest congratulations to the fantastic team at Young V&A on being crowned Art Fund Museum of the Year 2024. You truly are the world’s most joyful museum and will inspire young people now and for generations to come.”