Design Museum

London’s Design Museum might not have the most elaborate name, but it does state exactly what it is. 

Founded in 1989 by Sir Terence Conran, the museum serves as a meeting point for the design industry, education, and the public. 

The aim is to promote awareness of design in education, industry, commerce, and culture. 

In 2016, the museum relocated to what is best described as a contemporary landmark in Kensington (after having been housed in a converted 1940s banana warehouse in Shad Thames). 

In 2018, it was awarded European Museum of the Year.

The new site was already a grade II listed building, but had been vacant for more than a decade. 

John Pawson and his design team were responsible for the museum’s new interiors, while OMA were responsible for the overall master plan.

The museum welcomes more than 700,000 visitors per year to its 10,000 square metres large space. For those wanting to learn more, the museum offers a Master’s programme in Curating Contemporary Design, in partnership with Kingston University. 

The programme is contextualised by the ongoing design research conducted at the museum, involving both historical perspectives and contemporary issues. 

This also means that many exhibitions are research based, as the critical perspective permeates many aspects of the museum.

The collection consists of over 3000 objects telling the story of how design has evolved, but there is also a Future Observatory research team, focusing on shaping the objects of the future. 

The team works in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council, coordinating over 140 research projects and in affiliation with researchers representing over 100 higher education design institutions across the UK. 

Design Museum

London, UK