Ceramics

The V&A is a family of art, design and performance museums. We hold a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects, books and archives that span over 5,000 years of human creativity.

We proudly look after many of the nation's national collections and houses some of the greatest resources for the study of architecture, furniture, fashion, textiles, photography, sculptures, paintings, jewellery, glass, ceramics, Asian art and design, theatre and performance.

Our mission is to champion art, design and creativity in all its forms, advance cultural knowledge, and inspire makers, creators and innovators everywhere. 

Ceramics – unrivalled collection encyclopaedic and global in scope, encompassing the history of fine ceramic production from about 2500 BC to the present day. The collections are particularly strong in international contemporary studio ceramics, European porcelain and pottery from 1500 onwards, and ceramics from China, Japan and the Middle East. Highlights include the collections of Italian Renaissance maiolica, Chinese porcelain, Dutch Delft, British and European porcelain, 19th-century art pottery and exhibition pieces, and tiles.