A free Taylor Swift Exhibition
This free exhibition opened last week at the V&A in London. Taylor Swift costumes and props from her musical career dotted all over this London museum * This exhibition has now closed.
If the Taylor Swift concerts have been anything to go by, then the popularity of this new Taylor Swift exhibition at the V&A will be incredibly popular. The Songbook Trail showcases 13 installations featuring objects from Taylor Swifts personal archive.
A digital map will take you in and around the museum to find the installations from Taylor Swift’s personal archive that celebrate the creative process of this 14 time Grammy Award winning artist over 13 years. It is impressive.
Even to those who don’t know Taylor Swift’s, you cannot help but admire what she has achieved and this personal collection of clothing, props and storyboards give some context to her rise as a pioneering global artist. Her archive collection begins at the age of 16 and takes you up to the present day with her Victorian inspired ruffled shoulder dress worn for the music video Fortnight.
This is a temporary exhibition, that will take you to all corners of the museum.  If you don’t know the museum like I do, then you are in for a treat. A digital guide will take on the Songbook Trail with 16 looks to find. Enjoy the British Galleries, the Raphael Cartoons to the Fashion Gallery and beyond. Give yourself 90mins and expect to stay longer, because like me you are sure to get distracted.
Are you a young Swiftie?
Whilst Taylor may love the number 13, my lucky number is 7, hence my Super Seven. I asked one of the V&A Guides I work with, what would be fun to also see around the museum if you were a young child visiting for the first time. So together we have come up with 7 things a young Swiftie might enjoy;
1.    Jewellery Gallery: Look for Beyonce’s Papillon ring.
2.    Jewellery Gallery: Queen Victoria’s Coronet that was designed by Prince Albert for her.
3.    South Asia Gallery: Find Tipu’s Tiger.
4.    Fashion Gallery: Anything Taylor has … Harry does too. Look for Harry Style’s cardigan.
5.    British Galleries: Mary Queen of Scots contributed towards a tapestry whilst she was in prisoned with Elizabeth Talbot. It’s incredibly cool to think we have this at the museum.
6.    Garden Café: Grab an ice cream in the garden, or pick up a Swiftie cupcake from the café inside. Whilst you are there you can appreciate the interior and know that this was the first museum café in the world.
7.    Japan Gallery: One of my favourite galleries. Look at the kimonos or the samurai swords.. Either are pretty cool, but one of my new discoveries is the python bag – with the head of a python coming out of it. I’m not sure if I like it or loathe it!
Details:
V&A South Kensington
27 July – 8 September 2024.
10 -17.45 daily and 22.00 on Fridays.
Check the V&A website for further details.