V&A announces new details on david bowie centre ahead of september opening in london

Artist’s Personal archive collections inside david bowie centre

V&A East Storehouse announces new details on the David Bowie Centre ahead of its opening on September 13th 2025 in London, England. Set to be the permanent home of David Bowie’s personal archive with more than 90,000 items, the museum allows visitors to schedule a one-to-one with the items on display so they can view certain objects more closely and with a reduced crowd. The David Bowie Centre archive includes handwritten lyrics, drawings, costumes, photos, letters, musical instruments, set lists, and design sketches. Some of the late revered artist’s unrealized projects are on display too, from ideas for albums to films and tours that were never finished.

Isolar II poster magazine, David Bowie, 1978, US. Museum no. S.1171:1 to 2-2010. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London | all images courtesy of V&A Museum

More than 90,000 items on display within V&A East Storehouse

At the David Bowie Centre, opening in September 2025 within the V&A East Storehouse museum, the archive collection also showcases the artist’s many artistic identities, such as Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane. Visitors can learn how he created these characters, how he used technology and science fiction, and how he designed his stage shows to be unique and theatrical in the permanent archival home.

Some of the highlights include David Bowie’s 1987 Glass Spider Tour as well as his 1987 concert at the Berlin Wall. The David Bowie Centre also features guest-curated displays, where artists who worked with him or were inspired by him choose memorabilia to show. One is by Nile Rodgers, a music producer who worked on David Bowie’s albums Let’s Dance and Black Tie White Noise.

photograph of David Bowie, Kevin Cummins, 1970s, Uk. Museum no: S.1326-2010. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Guest-curated displays with rare photos of studio sessions

For his guest curation, Nile Rodgers chooses items that show their friendship and musical teamwork, including the custom suit David Bowie wore on tour, photos of him recording music with Rodgers, some personal letters they exchanged, and several rare photos of studio sessions with backup singers, to name a few. Another display is by The Last Dinner Party, a modern British rock band, choosing objects from the 1970s that show David Bowie’s artistic energy, such as the handwritten lyrics from his Young Americans album and notes from his Station to Station tour.

The other archives are a manual for a special synthesizer Bowie used in his Berlin Trilogy albums as well as photos of the artist working in the studio. The David Bowie Centre, set to open on September 13th, 2025, was made possible by the David Bowie Estate, the Blavatnik Family Foundation, and Warner Music Group. It’s now part of the larger V&A Archive, which holds works from like Vivien Leigh, The House of Worth, and Glastonbury Festival.

Aladdin Sane album cover, Duffy and Philo, 1970, Uk. Museum no: E.583-1985. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Diamond Dogs, vinyl, produced by David Bowie, RCA Records, cover art by Guy Peellaert, 1974, England. Museum no. S.3354-2013. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London