New London Design Museum opens

Museum moves to new South Kensington site.

London’s Design Museum opens at its new 10,000-sqm base at High Street Kensington on 24 November, following a four-year renovation project costing £83 million.

The landmark 1960s modernist building, formerly the Commonwealth Institute, is three times the size of the design museum's previous riverside home in Shad Thames.

The interior was designed by architect John Pawson, and Rem Koolhaas’ OMA studio, while Allies and Morrison, and Arup restored the building’s roof and double-glazed façade.

The Design Museum features an auditorium, studios, library, archive and learning facilities, and a restaurant overlooking Holland Park.

The museum's opening exhibition is Fear and Love: Reactions to a Complex World, consisting of 11 installations by innovative contemporary designers and architects such as Hussein Chalayan, OMA, and Kenja Hara.

The permanent collection is housed on the top floor and comprises over 1,000 exhibits including designs for Underground trains and British road signs.

There is an entry fee for the museum's temporary exhibitions, open daily from 10.00-18.00, however entry to the permanent collection is free.