David Bowie Centre will be opened in London

The David Bowie Centre is set to open its doors on September 13th, 2025, inside the V&A East Storehouse in London, marking the most significant public unveiling of the artist’s personal archive to date. With over 90,000 items spanning decades of radical creativity, innovation, and reinvention, the Centre promises to immerse visitors in the many worlds of David Bowie—musician, style icon, and fearless cultural trailblazer.

Inside the David Bowie Centre V&A: a radical archive of a creative visionary

Located in the heart of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the David Bowie Centre V&A will be a permanent exhibition space that showcases the vast and multifaceted legacy of one of the most influential figures in 20th-century culture. Visitors can expect a mix of audio-visual installations, curated object displays, and even quiet research zones. Each area is designed to offer a different lens into Bowie’s process—be it through handwritten lyrics, performance costumes, early sketches, or unused film and tour concepts.

Some items on view include costumes from Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust era (1972), the typed lyrics of Heroes (1977), stage props, and the famed “cut-up” writing method introduced to Bowie by William Burroughs.

Visitors can also make use of the Order an Object service, a unique opportunity to view select items from the archive in a more intimate setting by appointment—offering an experience both personal and unforgettable.

Curated collaborations at the David Bowie Centre London

To make the David Bowie Centre London more than just a museum, the V&A has enlisted artists who either worked with Bowie or were influenced by his legacy to serve as guest curators. The first wave of contributors includes Nile Rodgers, the music producer behind Bowie’s Let’s Dance (1983) and Black Tie White Noise (1993). Rodgers has selected rare images and artifacts that reflect their creative partnership: a custom suit worn by Bowie on tour, handwritten letters between them, and candid studio photos that offer a glimpse into their musical chemistry.

Another compelling display comes from The Last Dinner Party, a rising British rock band who curate a selection of 1970s Bowie materials. These include early lyrics from Young Americans and conceptual sketches from the Station to Station tour—highlighting Bowie’s fearless experimentation and its continued influence on today’s musicians.

Beyond the archive: a space for future creatives

The Centre doesn’t merely look back—it also looks forward. Developed in consultation with young creatives from surrounding London boroughs, the space includes flexible areas for reflection, study, and youth-led programming. The goal is to encourage the next generation to draw inspiration from Bowie’s boundary-pushing approach to art, identity, and performance.

In its final form, the David Bowie Centre is not just a tribute, but a creative engine—a place where past meets future, and where Bowie’s spirit of curiosity and transformation lives on.