Design Museum
About Design Museum
The Design Museum is the world’s leading museum devoted to contemporary design in every form from furniture to graphics, and architecture to industrial design. Exhibitions demonstrate both the richness of the creativity to be found in all forms of design, and its importance. See designmuseum.org for current exhibitions and special events.
| Opening Times | Daily 10.00-17.45 last admission: 17.15. Open Bank hols except Christmas. Cafe & shop closing times differ to museum. |
|---|---|
| Catering |
On-site café/restaurant |
Design Museum Address
| Address: |
28 Shad Thames, London
London
SE1 2YD
|
|---|---|
| Telephone: | +44 (0)20 7403 6933 |
| Fax: | 0870 9091909 |
| Email: | info@designmuseum.org |
| Website: | http://www.designmuseum.org |
Location Information for Design Museum
| Address: |
28 Shad Thames, London
London
SE1 2YD
|
|---|---|
| Telephone: | +44 (0)20 7403 6933 |
| Fax: | 0870 9091909 |
| Email: | info@designmuseum.org |
| Website: | http://www.designmuseum.org |
| Public transport: | Tower Hill, London Underground |
| By Road: | Tube: Tower HillTube/Rail: London Bridge; DLR: Tower Gateway |
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Reviews of Design Museum
Visit London review of Design Museum
Traveller Rating:
Based on 7 reviews
Latest 5 reviews of Design Museum
Not a place for children
My boyfriend, myself and a 7 year-old decided to check out the Design museum for a day trip to London recently. With a budding artist/scientist/inventor in the making we thought this would be a great family day out as she had enjoyed the Natural history museum.
We actually had seen the whole place within 1.5 hours and that included a coffee break and playing games with the black rubber strip curtains between the exhibits on the first floor.
I think this museum is better targetted to the adult art gallery lovers.
30 September 2009
Disappointing
I am a Design and Technology teacher and have been considering the Design Museum as a possible trip for the students.
How wrong I was. I saw it was £8.50 and naively thought that at that price it would be brilliant.
What did we get? Not much. The place is way too small for the name 'Design Museum'... and if you're expecting a 'design museum', forget it.
On the lower floor was a timeline of Design most of which would have been just as good out of a book (very few real objects) and, in the middle, a London-centric something or other which I found hard to fathom the content (and purpose) of. I am a fairly radical thinker when it comes to Art and Design, but even I was stumped by this one!
I went upstairs, confident in the treats that awaited me as Mariscal is one of my favourites and there was a show devoted to him. Oh dear... nothing like the number of original pieces there could or should have been. Disappointing.
Needless to say, I have had to strike this off my list as a possible trip for my students.
19 July 2009
What a disappointment
It was probably a case of excessive expectations – I must have walked past the impressive white modern building on the river bank in Butler’s Wharf (gentrified ex-industrial area now full of trendy companies and chic cafes) a dozen times before actually visiting it.
This is a review of the general exhibition space on the top floor and not the visiting exhibition areas.
I was expecting to hear the story of product design in the UK, maybe the changing aesthetic in a few products; the influence of materials technology; a view on current trends and some interactive exhibits.
What I got was a few items (50?), artfully arranged in the expected all-white room. They were out of touch behind glass or roped-off, each with a couple of short paragraphs in affected design-speak. It was a really odd selection of items with no attempt to cover any particular area comprehensively, nor to put things in any historical place.
There were a few exhibits where you could watch some video though, and you could press at least 10 buttons – does that count as interactive?
I have read some glowing reviews of this museum, and all I can say is they must have a lot more patience and interest in whacky items than I have (who needs a dog-powered respirator)
On the bright side, it is a great location with good views of London. The cafe is reasonable (and you don’t have to pay the entrance fee to use it). The shop is full of really interesting design books and odd-ball gifts.
16 April 2009
make your mind on design
The Design Musuem is lean on design.
So the exhibition concept is mixed up with different exhibits
and these are even poorly presented.
Even friends who are not into arts ask for it’s qualification.
I am wondering why anything changes over the years.
At least the best thing is it’s small dimensions so you
don’t have to spent to much time on it.
6 September 2008
What design?
I visited the Centre on 1 May 2006 and have many words to describe the farcical experience - craptastic, inherently lacklustre and as my normally spritely companion stated (who was overcome with lethargy mid way into the exhibit), overwhelmingly underwhelming.
Two levels holding an incoherent slap dash of chairs, discarded bicyles and album covers. Had I entered a crackhouse used by Ikea designer dropouts or what proudly annouces itself as the worlds first 20th century design museum?
I would have gained greater insight into the world of design watching MTV in four day old underwear. And kept my £20.
2 May 2006
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Events at Design Museum
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Less and More: The Design Ethos of Dieter Rams
Exhibition18 Nov 2009 to 7 Mar 2010
Find out why Dieter Rams inspired your favourite gadgets at Less and More at the Design Museum. 18 Nov-7 Mar
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Real World Design: How Ergonomics Is Making Things Better
Exhibition18 Nov 2009 to 7 Mar 2010
Discover the importance of ergonomics and how good design affects our everyday life in this new exhibition. 18 Nov-7 Mar
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Brit Insurance Designs of the Year 2010
Exhibition17 Feb 2010 to 6 Jun 2010
Brit Insurance Designs of the Year has established itself as a leading showcase of the most innovative and forward thinking designs from around the world, supporting the critically acclaimed Brit Insurance Design Awards. A number of internationally respected design experts have been invited to nominate up to five projects, each of which in their view, represents the best or the most interesting designs produced or launched in the last year. A shortlist of around 100 designs - the Brit Insurance Designs of the Year - will be on display at the Design Museum. The Brit Insurance Design Awards celebrate the best of design in seven categories: Architecture, Transport, Graphics, Interactive, Product, Furniture and Fashion.
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Children's Gallery Tours
Exhibition28 Oct 2009 to 12 Dec 2009
A fun and engaging half hour guided tour through the museum for 5 - 11 year olds. The tour will start with a general introduction to the Design Museum and then continue with highlights from the current exhibitions.
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