V&A concedes a few final extra viewing days

Outcry over closure of musical instruments gallery only prolongs the agony

by Ismene BrownWednesday, 03 February 2010

The V&A has made a small concession to the musical outcry over its plan to substitute musical instruments with fashion galleries - an outcry you read first on theartsdesk. It is opening the instruments gallery for extra days before the closure on 22 February.

Today, the first Wednesday of the month, would have been the only usual February opening day. But now there are six extra days to see the instruments, tomorrow, the weekend of 13-14 February, and the long weekend 19-21 February, before the collection is closed.

Our item reported the petition to Downing Street protesting at the musical instruments dispersal, to which currently some 5,000 people have signed (including many leading musicians and the former Royal Academy director Sir Norman Rosenthal). It also aired the fashion side of the argument, with Roxy Music designer Anthony Price pointing out that the V&A does not show much of its most interesting historical fashion because of lack of space and unsuitable conditions. Please go and pen your comment on our story.

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