V&A Membership

Last updated: 13 October 2026

What V&A Membership gets you

Entry to the V&A's permanent galleries is free for everyone, every day, and membership does not change that. What it changes is the cost and planning of everything else.

• Exhibitions: unlimited entry to every paid exhibition, with no ticket to book and no time slot. You can use it from the day you join.
• Sold-out shows: members still get in when a show has sold out to everyone else.
• Children: up to four children under 16 come into exhibitions free with each member.
• Members' rooms: the Members' Restaurant and Members' Lounge.
• Shop discount: 10% off in the V&A shops and online.
• Previews and events: Members' previews and morning views before shows open, plus talks and tours.
• V&A Academy: priority booking on courses, talks and workshops.
• V&A Magazine: three issues a year, plus members' emails.

V&A Membership prices

Every tier is billed once a year. Annual Direct Debit is the cheaper route, and paying in one go costs £12 more.

• Individual: £86 by Direct Debit or £98 in one payment. One card, plus four children under 16.
• Plus Guest: £128 or £140. One card, one guest each visit, plus four children.
• Plus Extra Card: £180 or £192. Two named cards, each bringing one guest, plus four children per member.
• Under-26: £60 or £72, for anyone aged 16 to 25.
• Under-26 Plus Guest: £100 or £112. The guest can be any age.

The V&A quotes monthly figures, such as £7.17 a month for Individual, but they are only illustrations. You still pay once a year.

When V&A Membership pays for itself

The answer depends on how many paid shows you go to. These are the current adult weekday prices for the exhibitions on this autumn:

• Constantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires, South Kensington, from 7 November 2026: £25 (£27 at weekends)
• The Music is Black: A British Story, V&A East Museum, to 10 January 2027: £22.50 (£24.50 at weekends)
• Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific, South Kensington, to 10 January 2027: £17
• Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends, Young V&A, to 15 November 2026: £12.50

One weekday visit to each of the first three costs £64.50. So Individual at £86 needs about one more paid visit within the year before it saves you money. Plus Guest works out faster: two adults at those three shows would pay £129, and Plus Guest costs £128.

The other saving is access. Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art runs to 15 November 2026 and is sold out, but members can still walk in.

Who V&A Membership suits

• Londoners who go to four or more paid shows a year: that is roughly where Individual starts to save money.
• Couples and friends who visit together: Plus Guest covers a second adult for £42 more than Individual.
• Anyone aged 16 to 25: the under-26 Plus Guest at £100 is cheaper than the standard Individual card and brings a guest of any age.
• Families: four under-16s go free on every tier.

The limits

If you only visit the free galleries, membership buys you nothing you need. The same goes for the V&A's free events, such as the monthly LGBTQIA+ Tour, which needs no ticket at all.

Members' mornings sit outside normal opening hours, so those still need a ticket booked online. Under-26 and student exhibition tickets can also be cheap, from £11 at V&A East, which shrinks the saving for younger visitors who go to one or two shows.

Membership is an annual commitment. The monthly figures are illustrations, not a monthly plan you can cancel.

How to join

You join on the V&A membership page, and the card works from the day you pay. The V&A posts the card and welcome pack within 10 working days, and you can ask for a digital card for your phone wallet instead. Until it arrives, show proof of purchase at the Membership Desk in the Grand Entrance and they issue a temporary card. Gift memberships come with a certificate in the order email.

If you visit galleries outside London too, compare it with the National Art Pass, which gives money off exhibitions at museums across the country, including £10 tickets for The Music is Black.

Join V&A Membership on the V&A site

FAQs

Do you need V&A Membership to get into the V&A?

No. The permanent collection is free for everyone with no ticket. Membership covers the paid exhibitions and the members' rooms.

How much is V&A Membership?

On 13 October 2026, Individual cost £86 a year by Direct Debit, Plus Guest £128 and Plus Extra Card £180. Under-26 rates were £60 and £100. Paying in one go adds £12 on every tier.

Does V&A Membership cover V&A East and Young V&A?

Yes. The V&A lists members as going free to exhibitions at V&A East Museum and Young V&A as well as South Kensington.

Does V&A Membership cover children?

Yes. Each member can bring up to four children under 16 into exhibitions for free.

Can I use my membership before the card arrives?

Yes. Membership starts on the day you buy it. Show proof of purchase at the Membership Desk in the Grand Entrance for a temporary card.

Can you pay for V&A Membership monthly?

No. It is billed once a year, by Direct Debit or a single payment. The monthly prices on the V&A site are illustrations only.

More from CoolCuration

• V&A East museum review: what the V&A's east London museum is like to visit.
• Schiaparelli at the V&A review: our review of the fashion show members can still see while it is sold out.
• Gifts for artists: presents for artists and creative people.
• TrainPal referral code: £3 off your first UK train ticket, if you are coming into London for a show.

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