Members of the Arts Society Grayshott were captivated by speaker and Blue Badge Guide, Anna Warrilow, at their March meeting, as she shared the fascinating history behind the founding of the V&A Museum.

The Great Exhibition of 1851, lasting six months, was the first international exhibition of its kind, initiated by Prince Albert and Henry Cole. They believed it would educate the public and inspire British designers and manufacturers. Held in the newly designed Crystal Palace, the exhibition showcased more than 10,000 objects from around the world and attracted 40,000 visitors daily, cementing Britain’s global reputation.

The exhibition raised £150,000, which was used to purchase 87 acres of land from Hyde Park to Cromwell Road. Prince Albert envisioned this area being filled with institutions dedicated to learning, science, music, and the arts. In 1852, the collection of exhibits was moved to South Kensington, and by 1857, the V&A Museum’s foundations were laid. Queen Victoria opened the new building in 1909, named in her honour.

Designed to educate and inspire, the museum's imposing façade features intricate carvings of scientific and artistic symbols. Magnificent ceramics decorate its interiors, igniting Victorian design. A statue of Prince Albert stands proudly at the Cromwell Road entrance, although he never saw his vision fully realised.

The V&A Museum, built by the greatest architects of the day, now attracts four million visitors annually, serving as one of Prince Albert’s most enduring legacies.

The next lecture, on Thursday, April 3 at 2pm in Grayshott Village Hall, is “100 Hundred Years of the London Underground Design and Architecture’ by Mark Ovenden. Visitors are welcome. For more information about this and other activities go to www.theartssocietygrayshott.org or phone Niamh on 07984379925