About
The Design Museum is the world's leading museum devoted to contemporary design in every form, from architecture and fashion to graphics, product and industrial design. Founded in 1989 by Sir Terence Conran, the museum moved in 2016 to a spectacular new home in Kensington - a 1960s modernist building brilliantly reinvented by minimalist architect John Pawson.
The transformation created three times more space, including vast galleries flooded with natural light from the iconic hyperbolic paraboloid roof.
The museum's mission is to show why design matters, exploring how design shapes our lives, drives innovation, and solves problems.
The free permanent collection 'Designer Maker User' showcases over 1,000 iconic objects spanning the 20th and 21st centuries - from Apple products to Alexander McQueen dresses, from Anglepoise lamps to Air Jordans. World-class temporary exhibitions examine everything from Ferrari to video games, sneakers to electronic music, always revealing the creative and commercial forces behind design.
The museum celebrates the annual Beazley Designs of the Year, championing the best new designs across all disciplines.
With a stunning rooftop offering panoramic London views, excellent shop and restaurant, and innovative educational programs, the Design Museum makes the case that design is one of the most important creative disciplines of our time.
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Annual Visitors (2019)
650,000
Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Busiest: Saturday, Sunday
💡 Weekday mornings for quieter galleries and best light on rooftop
💡 Visitor Tips
- The free Designer Maker User collection on the top floor is excellent - start there even if not seeing paid exhibitions
- Visit the rooftop for stunning free London views - accessible without paying for exhibitions
- Book tickets online in advance for temporary exhibitions to guarantee entry
- The museum shop is exceptional - budget time and money for browsing
- Weekday mornings are quietest, especially for photography
- The building itself is a design masterpiece - appreciate the architecture, especially the hyperbolic roof
- Parabola restaurant is worth booking for lunch - museum-quality design extends to the dining
- Free talks and tours happen regularly - check the website schedule
- Photography allowed in most areas but no flash - the natural light from the roof is beautiful for photos
- Combine with nearby Leighton House Museum for a design-focused day in Kensington
Highlights
Designer Maker User
The museum's free permanent collection showcasing over 1,000 iconic design objects that have shaped the modern world.
Arranged thematically across three sections - Designer (the creative process), Maker (production and materials), and User (consumption and impact) - the exhibition features design classics from the 1920s to today. See original Apple computers, Sony Walkman, Anglepoise lamps, Dyson vacuum cleaners, Alexander McQueen dresses, Philippe Starck's Juicy Salif lemon squeezer, Dieter Rams' Braun products, and the AK-47 rifle.
Each object tells a story about innovation, manufacturing, branding, and cultural impact. This is design's greatest hits - accessible, beautifully displayed under the soaring roof, and completely free.
The Hyperbolic Paraboloid Roof
The museum's most dramatic architectural feature is the extraordinary hyperbolic paraboloid copper roof designed by engineer Felix Samuely in 1962.
John Pawson's 2016 renovation transformed the building while preserving this iconic structure. Standing beneath it in the Designer Maker User gallery, you're enveloped by soaring curves that flood the space with natural light.
The engineering is as beautiful as the design objects it shelters - a perfect marriage of form and function that exemplifies design principles. The roof alone is worth the visit.
Rooftop Viewing Gallery
Free access to a stunning rooftop terrace with panoramic views across West London. From this elevated vantage point, see Holland Park, Kensington Gardens, the London Eye, BT Tower, and the City skyline. The rooftop provides breathing space and context - after examining designed objects indoors, you can survey the designed landscape of London itself.
Particularly beautiful at sunset. Perfect for photos and reflection.
Beazley Designs of the Year
The museum's annual flagship exhibition celebrating the most innovative and impactful designs from the past year across all disciplines: architecture, digital, fashion, graphics, product, and transport.
Nominated designs range from groundbreaking buildings to apps, medical devices to fashion collections, public spaces to furniture. Visitors vote for their favorite, and an expert jury selects category and overall winners.
This exhibition captures design at its most current and relevant, showing how designers respond to contemporary challenges and opportunities. Usually runs October to March.
Collections
The Design Museum holds over 8,000 objects in its permanent collection, focusing on mass-produced 20th and 21st century design across all disciplines. Collection strengths include: post-war British furniture and product design; fashion and textiles (including pieces by Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, and Hussein Chalayan); consumer electronics (Apple, Sony, Braun); industrial design classics (Dyson, Alessi, Vitra); graphics and typography; digital design and interaction; transport design; and architectural models and drawings.
The collection prioritizes everyday objects that exemplify design excellence and cultural significance over one-offs or art pieces.
Designer Maker User
Free permanent collection displaying 1,000+ iconic design objects from 1920s-present across three thematic sections
📍 Top Floor
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.