VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON

Opened by Queen Victoria in 1857, the Victoria & Albert Museum is recognised internationally as a showcase for artists and designers. The Grade I listed museum’s reputation for sumptuous decor cannot be overstated. The resplendent architecture, extraordinary rooms, breath-taking halls and galleries, as well as its glorious garden, make it an elite venue for truly unforgettable events.

The sheer range of spaces available offers exceptional possibilities for entertaining, making the V&A Museum ideal for any kind of lavish reception. From simple standing to dinner and dancing, this unique London venue has it all.

The Dome, with its towering ceiling, classical architecture and marble floors, augmented by an extraordinary central glass sculpture, is a most captivating setting for receptions and dinners. Pre-dinner drinks receptions can be held in the Dorothy and Michael Hintze Sculpture Galleries or John Madejski Garden.

The Dorothy and Michael Hintze Sculpture Galleries contain some of the V&A’s finest sculptures and, coupled with a beautiful view of the garden, provides a superb setting that is certain to astonish guests. The black and white mosaic flooring enhances the collection and elegant windows open out onto the John Madejski Garden so that guests can flow between the two spaces.

Following ten years of planning and two years’ construction, the V&A’s Medieval & Renaissance Galleries opened in 2009 to great critical acclaim, showcasing the world’s largest collection from the period. Large scale works, which were once part of imposing Renaissance buildings, are displayed in the context of a cityscape, while dramatic sculptures stand in an atmospheric courtyard and garden setting. The ten galleries include the Paul and Jill Ruddock Gallery, which is available to hire as a sensational space for receptions and dinners.

The largest and most distinguished area in the Museum is the Raphael Gallery, which houses some of the most important surviving examples of Renaissance art in the world. Seven Raphael cartoons are complemented by a gilded Spanish altarpiece, providing a striking backdrop.

The Fashion Galleries host a series of gorgeous temporary fashion exhibitions and form an ideal space for receptions.

The Edwin & Susan Davies Paintings Galleries form a suite of five galleries displaying 200 works from the V&A’s extensive paintings collection and is available for drinks receptions. The magnificent collection includes paintings by Constable, Turner and Gainsborough, as well as notable works by Blake, Landseer and Millais.

The spectacular Whiteley Silver Galleries house the country’s finest collection of silver, with over 1,500 objects on view. The galleries, which overlook the John Madejski Garden, are an exquisite example of Victorian decoration and ornamentation, providing a uniquely dazzling space for receptions.

The Gamble and Morris Rooms are available for both early morning and evening events. The Gamble Room is beautifully tiled with ceramics by Maw and Minton, and the windows feature beautiful stained glass incorporating the Royal Arms. The adjacent Morris Room is exemplary of William Morris’s early domestic decorative style and features delightfully painted panels and stunning stained glass windows.

Last, but certainly not least, the John Madejski Garden is one of the most elegant outdoor venues in London. It is a tranquil but lavish space featuring elegant fountains and 19th-century clay tiles and mosaics, making it a wonderful setting for wedding photography. As dusk falls, the Garden is illuminated, creating an enhancing and luxurious atmosphere.

South Kensington Underground station on the District, Piccadilly and Circle lines, is just over five minutes’ walk away.

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