London'snew DesignMuseum opened on the24th of November. Based onWest London’s Kensington High Street in an£85 milliongrade II listed modernist building, the museumexhibits and highlights "the made and the visual".
Itis proving a huge success. Visitors towhat The Guardian called a"beautifully odd" museum have topped 100, 000since opening. Sincethe museum was planning on 650, 000 in its first 12 months, this represents a considerable kick-start to its first year of operation. It also marks a sea-change in visitor numbers from the museum's former homenear Tower Bridge.There, visitors numbers were around 250, 000 a year. Early signs indicate that local shops and businesses are benefitting from the increased footfall too.
California and Ageing at the Design Museum
Founded in 1989, The Design Museum covers product, industrial, graphic, fashion and architectural design.It is runas aregistered charity.Funds generated by ticket sales helpthe museum in curating new exhibitions. Entrance is free to the museum’s permanent collection.The creation of the new design Museuminvolved renownedcreatives such asminimalist designer John Pawson and architect Rem Koolhaas. ‘
An excitingexhibition programme for 2017 includes exhibitson the unbuilt architecture of Moscow in the 1920s and 1930s and design for anageing population. There will also bea landmark exhibition highlightingthe counterculture of California.
Digital Artslooks at the new museum in a"visual tour" of the new museum (see link below).
Top image © gravity road
