Things to See at the Design Museum in London
Artsy Traveler contains affiliate links for products and services I personally use and can happily recommend. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the Disclosure for more information. If you make a purchase through these links, at no additional cost to you, Artsy Traveler earns a small commission. Thank you!
London’s new-to-me Design Museum is indeed quite new. Founded in 1989, it moved in 2016 from a former 1940s banana warehouse on the South Bank to its spacious digs in South Kensington adjacent to Holland Park.
Now the Design Museum hosts millions of visitors each year.
And no wonder! The Design Museum’s vision is “A world in which design enables this planet and its inhabitants to thrive”. Innovative exhibitions, partnerships, research and learning programs celebrate design in all its forms.
I highly recommend a visit to the Design Museum in London. Unlike many museums that are full of objects we can admire but would never use, the Design Museum features objects we all use every day, from teaspoons to computers to cars.
It’s fascinating to see the integral role design has played in shaping our modern world. Read on to learn what there is to see and do at the Design Museum in London!
This post is part of my guide to artsy & independent travel in England, where I share my best tips for exploring England’s creative cities, historic sites, literature, theater, and cultural experiences.
Table of Contents
Design Museum Quick Facts
- Accessibility: Fully accessible, assistance dogs welcome
- Location: 224–238 Kensington High Street, London W8 6AG, UK
- Focus: Contemporary design across architecture, fashion, graphics, product, and industrial design
- Permanent Collection: Designer Maker User – free entry
- Temporary Exhibitions: Ticketed (varies: get tickets in advance for popular exhibitions)
- Transport: 7–10 min walk from High Street Kensington Tube station
- Typical Visit Duration: 1–2 hours or more
- Eat & Drink: On-site café & restaurant available
Overview: What is the Design Museum London?
The Design Museum London is the UK’s leading museum dedicated to showcasing contemporary design and exploring how design shapes everyday life.
In the Design Museum’s newly renovated and spacious building, you’ll find exhibits about architecture, fashion, graphics, product, and digital design.
The Design Museum’s free permanent collection, Designer Maker User, examines the creative process behind modern objects, while rotating exhibitions spotlight influential designers, brands, and movements from around the world.
Together, the galleries offer an engaging introduction to design’s impact on culture, technology, and society.
Highlights: Things to See at the Design Museum London
In addition to the marvelous permanent collection called Designer Maker User, the Design Museum houses several special exhibitions which require tickets.
Check the Design Museum’s website to see whether any of the special exhibitions interest you, buy your ticket online in advance, and then make sure you save some energy to tour the permanent collection. Tickets for popular exhibitions sell out quickly.
The Permanent Collection: Designer Maker User
After touring Barbie: The Exhibition at the Design Museum in London, I ascended to the third floor to tour the permanent collection of the Design Museum and admire the museum’s interior space.
What to See in the Designer Maker User Collection
The permanent collection at the Design Museum is called Designer Maker User and it’s a stunner! The curators have done an excellent job of explaining various design concepts through the display of everyday objects, from spoons to chairs to computers.
The exhibit features over 1000 objects grouped into three segments: Designer, Maker, and User .
Designer at the Design Museum
The objects in the Designer section are displayed in ways that invite the visitor to contemplate the thought process of the designer who must envision how the designed object will be used. I like the quote on one of the information plaques: “The role of the designer stretches from the spoon to the city”.
In this section are displayed objects such as a traffic light, the Anglepoise lamp, and a Tube carriage.
Maker at the Design Museum
The Maker section presents objects in relation to the evolution of manufacturing. Included are café chairs, a Model T Ford, robotic arms, and 3D printers. Objects such as tennis balls and the London 2012 Olympic Torch are presented at different stages of production.
As I wandered through the exhibits, I was constantly amazed by the ingenuity of the human mind. Take tennis, for instance. First, someone had to want a ball they could bounce and hit with a raquette. Then, someone else had to figure out how to make a prototype of the ball. Finally, a whole team of brainiacs had to determine how to manufacture thousands of balls so that anyone who wanted to could play tennis. Mind-boggling!
User at the Design Museum
The User section explores the interaction between people and brands that define the modern world. As a computer user for many decades, I was especially taken by the display of electronics, from the clunky Apple computers of the 1980s to the sleek Macs of today. The red Sony laptop in the picture below is identical to one I had a good twenty years ago. I really liked that computer!
Crowdsourced Wall at the Design Museum
Outside the Designer User Maker exhibit is the Crowdsourced Wall. Here are displayed more than 200 objects that people from 25 countries nominated as their most important objects. The diverse selection of objects is meant to “demonstrate the intimate relationships we have with the everyday objects that shape our lives”.
Items on display include a red bucket, an Underground sign, a bicycle, a green plastic stool, a sewing machine, a drill, a mop, a pair of jeans, and a lot more. The fascinating selection is so much fun to look at since many are objects that we know and use.
Checking Out the Rods at the Design Museum
I am arrested by a display of…rods! I didn’t know rods were a thing in the UK, but they certainly were a cherished part of my early school years. For those who don’t know, rods are various colored plastic rectangles used to teach children arithmetic.
A white rod represents one and is one-tenth the size of an orange rod that represents ten. In between are red for two, green for three, and so on. When I was in Grades 1 and 2, the highlight of a day was when you finished your work early and the teacher let you go to the back of the room to “play rods”. I spent many a happy hour solving arithmetic problems with the tactile aid of those plastic rectangles that felt so smooth and were so pleasingly colored. Rods are still in use to this day, although my daughter doesn’t remember having them when she was at school in the 1990s.
What a shame! I credit rods with giving me a lifelong penchant for arithmetic. Mathematics? Not so much, but I’m a dab hand at addition, subtraction, multiplication and division without a calculator! Thank you, rods.
The box of rods on display at the Design Museum isn’t the only object that catapults me down memory lane. The entire museum is one big time-travel experience.
If you use household objects (and who doesn’t?), then check out the Design Museum. You’re bound to find at least a few displays that trigger happy memories.
Practical Visitor Information
Location of the Design Museum
The Design Museum is located at 224–238 Kensington High Street. The closest London Underground station is High Street Kensington (Circle and District lines), about a 7–10 minute walk from the museum. Other nearby Tube options are Earl’s Court (District & Piccadilly lines) and Holland Park (Central line), both roughly 10–15 minutes on foot.
Hours & Tickets
The Design Museum is open Monday to Thursday from 10:00 to 17:00, and Friday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. Some ticketed exhibitions may remain open later on weekends. The Design Museum is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Admission to the permanent collection is free. Check the website for more information.
The Design Museum Shop
After you’ve toured the exhibits, check out the stylish gift shop. You’ll find all sorts of cool design items there.
Design Musem London FAQs
Here are questions I’ve been asked about the Design Museum London:
Absolutely! For anyone who has “stuff”, the Design Museum is a wonderful celebration of how design affects all of us every day.
Yes. The permanent collection and free displays are free, but some temporary exhibitions require a paid ticket. Buy tickets online from the Design Museum website in advance for popular exhibitions which sometimes sell out.
Most visitors spend between 1–2 hours exploring the exhibits.
The nearest Tube station is High Street Kensington (Circle & District lines), about a 7–10 minute walk away.
Yes; the museum has a café and a restaurant with seating throughout the day.
Yes. Accessibility info is provided on the museum’s website, and assistance dogs are welcome.
Continue Exploring London’s Museums & Galleries
London is full of intriguing museums and cultural experiences, including many that remain delightfully off the beaten path.
If you’re planning to explore more of London’s outstanding museums and galleries, here are guides to three of my favorites:
- Best of the Courtauld Gallery in London: A Treasure Trove for the Artsy Traveler
- How to Get the Most Out of Your Visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London
- London’s National Gallery: The Best of the Best
For more inspiration, see Visiting England, where you’ll find all of my England travel guides in one place.
If you’re interested in guided experiences, GetYourGuide also offers a wide range of tours and activities across London.
Staying in London
London is not an inexpensive city, but nevertheless, I’ve discovered some excellent places to stay that, while not bargain basement, are good value and centrally located.
On a recent trip to London, I stayed at the Park Plaza Victoria London Hotel. Located right across the street from Victoria Station, the Park Plaza Victoria (5 on the map at the beginning of this post) is a remarkably good deal for a modern, four-star hotel in the heart of London. My room for two was spacious and even had a view over London.
The Wilde ApartHotel (6) in central London is also a wonderful choice. I loved its central location within walking distance of Trafalgar Square and most of the West End theaters. Check out my post about the Wilde ApartHotel.
Would you like to save this post?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!