Context
As part of its ongoing gallery redevelopment programme, the V&A wanted to get a clear picture of what visitors really need and expect from a permanent gallery experience. The team wanted to know which objects spark curiosity, how people respond to different interpretation styles, and what kinds of stories and information bring displays to life.
To guide this work, the museum looked to the Great Mughals temporary exhibition — exploring what worked well there, and how those insights could inspire the design of future permanent spaces.
We ran a comprehensive mixed-method study to understand the visitor experience from every angle. This included focus groups before and after visits, one-to-one interviews with families, in-gallery observations, surveys, and workshops to bring different perspectives together.They were interested in learning more about underrepresented youth perspectives too so we worked closely with the V&A’s Young Creatives, running guided visits and workshops to make sure their voices and ideas helped shape the findings. We partnered with a cultural consultant for this project to help capture and represent the nuances of South Asian experiences.
The insights came together in a formative research report - identifying best practices and lessons learned that could directly inform the redevelopment of the new gallery space.
Building on this, we carried out a second round of prototype testing focused on Tipu’s Tiger, one of the V&A’s most iconic objects. This stage explored how different interpretation approaches and storytelling techniques could enhance visitor engagement and accessibility, helping to refine the design and content of the new gallery.
The study revealed clear, evidence-based ways to engage a wider and more diverse range of visitors, with recommendations for object selection, interpretation, and storytelling. It also helped the museum think differently about how to create displays that are accessible, meaningful, and emotionally resonant.
Findings were shared across curatorial, learning, and interpretation teams, directly shaping plans for the new permanent gallery. Following the success of this collaboration, we were invited back to carry out further audience research for the V&A’s upcoming South Asia gallery.