Case study: Young V&A
Case Study: Young V&A
“When you walk into a public space, you notice whether it feels connected to its surroundings and the people who use it. We wanted this to be a place people feel is for them, and that they’re happy to get involved in.”
–Amy Akino-Wittering, Head of Operations & Commercial
The Challenge
As part of the V&A family, Young V&A wanted to ensure its national profile sat comfortably alongside a strong local identity, reflecting and responding to the community around it. That community - Tower Hamlets - has the highest rate of child poverty in England and is the most densely populated part of the country. How could the museum become genuinely welcoming to local families and create lasting value for the community it serves?
Design with your community, not for them
Engaging with the community was key to the design. Over 22,000 children, families, local creatives and educators helped to shape the museum, with co-design and co-creation embedded throughout development. Inspired by a local child’s design for a helter-skelter, the Town Square’s spiral staircase captures that same spirit of movement and the ambition to be ‘one of the most joyful museums in the world’.
Recruit from your community
From the outset, the museum saw recruitment as an opportunity to strengthen its relationship with the local community. Over 54% of the museum’s employees come from the local area, creating opportunities for local people. Partnerships with local organisations such as job centres, Tower Hamlets council, Waltham Forest Creative Industries Hub, and the Good Growth Hub have provided upskilling opportunities for young people in the area who are fresh to working as well as those looking for a new role, pivoting their career, or returning to work.
Staff wear language badges, right, to create a sense of welcome and inclusion in a borough where 100 languages are spoken in local schools.
Live programmes extend community connections further. A winter market featured local makers, and a six-month partnership with Leaders in Community supported local parents to explore play and creativity with illustrator Lucia Vinti, building confidence for them to visit the museum with their children.
Inclusive pricing
Mindful of the local economic context, and to encourage visitors from the local area, the Young V&A put affordability high on its agenda. Free to enter – the museum set souvenirs, hot drinks and children’s meal boxes at affordable levels. Paid exhibitions use a pass model so visitors can return as many times as they like. People on Universal Credit and school groups visit exhibitions for free.
The impact
Many local families visit repeatedly, and staff recognise regulars by name. Word of mouth is a top reason new visitors come.
The community-based approach has evolved across the V&A family, including the new V&A East.
Taking the next steps: put your community at the centre
- Involve the people you want to serve from the start. Ask what matters to them, and what feels like a barrier?
- Rethink recruitment: write job descriptions around behaviours and qualities you actually need. Warmth and people skills may matter more than prior sector experience.
- Go where people already are: job centres, community centres and partner organisations reach people who wouldn’t see a standard job posting. Open days and transparent processes build trust. Offer CV surgeries to demystify the process and the roles.
- Review your pricing with local context in mind: free or reduced-price access and small adjustments to shop, café and ticket pricing can make the difference between locals feeling your attraction is for them or not.
- Consider how welcome actually feels: simple changes to how people are received can transform whether they feel your business is a place for them.
Explore further
Inspired by what you’ve seen?
Check out the other case studies showing sustainability in action or explore the Regenerative Tourism Guide to learn more ways to stand out from the crowd, inspire staff, enhance visitor loyalty and make your business a force for good.