V&A Exhibitions 2025: Cartier, Schiaparelli, and Must-See Shows

There’s a reason V&A exhibitions keep drawing crowds year after year: the museum knows how to turn a blockbuster show into something you genuinely remember. The 2025 Cartier exhibition may have closed on 16 November, but its 350-object showcase of art, design and craftsmanship still sets the bar for what a luxury-brand retrospective can achieve.

Exhibitions per year: 50+ ·
Objects in collection: 2.3 million ·
Free general admission: Yes ·
Galleries at South Kensington: 145 ·
Cartier exhibition run: 12 Apr – 16 Nov 2025

The museum is open 10:00–17:30 daily, with late opening on Fridays until 21:30.

V&A Visit page

Tickets started at £27 per person.

Country & Town House

This guide walks you through the key dates, ticket realities, and visitor tips you need to know.

Here are the key details about the V&A and its exhibitions.

How long is the Cartier exhibition at the V&A?

Running from 12 April to 16 November 2025 in the Sainsbury Gallery (Country & Town House), the Cartier exhibition was installed for just over seven months. That window gave London visitors and international travellers a solid opportunity to see more than 350 objects spanning jewellery, watches, and decorative arts.

Cartier exhibition opening hours and dates

The exhibition followed V&A’s standard schedule: 10:00–17:30 daily, with late opening on Fridays until 21:30 (V&A Visit page). Note that the museum is open seven days a week, so you could plan a visit any day.

How to get tickets for Cartier at V&A

• Tickets were sold separately from free general admission. Prices started at £27 per person (Country & Town House).
• The first release sold out quickly (Country & Town House). V&A members could book for free whenever they liked (Country & Town House).
• Disabled visitors were entitled to discounted tickets with a free companion (V&A Visit page).

What this means: if you missed Cartier, membership offered a safety net. For 2026 shows like Schiaparelli, buying a V&A membership (£50/year) could be the cheapest way to guarantee access.

What exhibitions are coming up at the V&A?

The V&A typically rotates temporary exhibitions every few months, and the next major ticketed show is the Schiaparelli exhibition, announced for 2026 (Country & Town House).

Schiaparelli exhibition in 2026

Details are still under wraps, but judging by the V&A’s track record with fashion retrospectives – think “Fashioning Masculinities” or the recent “Africa Fashion” – you can expect an exploration of the surrealist designer’s archives. Keep an eye on the V&A’s What’s On page for the exact opening date.

Other upcoming shows and displays

Besides Schiaparelli, the British Museum will host the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition in 2026 (Country & Town House). Meanwhile, the V&A’s permanent galleries remain free and contain world-class objects – from Renaissance sculpture to contemporary design.

The implication: starting to plan now can save you money and stress.

Is the Cartier exhibit worth it?

With a ticket price of £25–£30 and a seven-month run, many visitors asked the same question. Here’s the trade-off.

Alternative free galleries at V&A

If the price puts you off, the V&A’s permanent collection includes the Cast Courts, the British Galleries, and the Photography Centre – all free. You can spend hours exploring Tipu’s Tiger, the Great Bed of Ware, and the Raphael Cartoons without spending a penny.

What are the must-see exhibitions in London?

London’s 2025–2026 exhibition offering is unusually strong. Here’s how the V&A shows stack up against other attractions.

Cartier at V&A

Already covered above – a landmark fashion‑jewellery retrospective that even critics praised for its curatorial narrative.

Other top London exhibitions in 2025

• Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum (2026): The first UK showing of the 11th‑century tapestry in decades (Country & Town House).
• Schiaparelli at V&A (2026): Mentioned above – a fashion surrealist’s archive.
• Permanent free galleries: The V&A’s collection spans 5,000 years of art, design, and performance.

For context, if you are visiting London in 2025, the Cartier exhibition (now closed) and the permanent galleries are your V&A anchors. For 2026, the Bayeux Tapestry and Schiaparelli will dominate cultural calendars.

If you are also interested in Changing of the Guard or where to eat Italian nearby, both are within walking distance of South Kensington.

What is the most famous item in the Victoria and Albert Museum?

Three objects consistently make the “must‑see” lists for V&A visitors.

• The Great Bed of Ware: A 16th‑century four‑poster bed that once housed 12 people at once. It is documented in Twelfth Night.
• Tipu’s Tiger: A mechanical organ from Tipu Sultan’s palace depicting a tiger mauling a European soldier. It is both a musical instrument and a political statement.
• Raphael Cartoons: Seven full‑scale designs for tapestries by Raphael, considered masterpieces of the High Renaissance.

These are all in the free permanent collection – no ticket needed.

Planning your visit to the V&A in 2025 should include a detailed visitor guide for the Cartier blockbuster, which has already drawn significant crowds.

Frequently asked questions

Visitors who plan ahead and consider membership can save money and guarantee access to popular exhibitions.