Museum adds David Bowie Archive to permanent display

Carrie Peterson,
David Bowie Exhibits At V&a East Storehouse In London
Lyrics and an outfit worn by late British musician David Bowie are displayed at the David Bowie Centre in the V&A East Storehouse in London, Britain, September 8, 2025. REUTERS/Helena Williams

The Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London will display a part of David Bowie’s archives in its permanent collection.

The exhibition is permanent, but the items on display will be switched out every six months.

Bowie began assembling his archives in 1990.  It includes about 90,000 items, with expected pieces like clothing and handwritten lyrics, but also fan art, bootleg albums, and Space Oddity’s Stylophone, which he himself purchased on eBay.

The entire archive will be available to the public in the spirit of academic research.

Here is Nile Rodgers reading a handwritten letter from Bowie, which is a part of the archives:

 

The display opens September 13, 2025.

Here’s more on the acquisition of the archives:

 

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