The Design Museum is in London and is the world’s leading design museum. It makes the impact of design visible and is the only place in the UK where the design industry, education and the public can come together to change the way people think about themselves and the future.
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Since it opened its doors in 1989 the museum has displayed everything from an AK-47 to high heels designed by Christian Louboutin. It is a registered charity that has staged over 100 exhibitions, welcomed over six million visitors and showcased the work of some of the world’s most celebrated designers and architects including Paul Smith, Zaha Hadid, Jonathan Ive, Miuccia Prada, Frank Gehry, Eileen Gray and Dieter Rams.
On 24 November 2016, The Design Museum relocated to Kensington, west London. Leading architectural designer John Pawson converted the interior of a 1960s modernist building to create a new home for the Design Museum giving it three times more space in which to show a wider range of exhibitions and significantly extend its learning programme.
The Design Museum is European Museum of the Year for 2018; one of forty finalists and the sixth UK winner in the award's 41-year history.
About the Design Museum
Our vision, purpose, mission and values
Our vision
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Our vision is a world where everyone values design
Our purpose
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The purpose of the Design Museum is to make the impact of design visible
Our mission
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To build public awareness of design by connecting design with people’s lives and passions
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To reflect the designer’s role at the forefront of social, technological and environmental change
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To serve the design community. Design is a practice, a diverse discipline, infinitely rich in approaches and characters. It is a young discipline, whose role in the world is evolving. Our unique approach to working with designers is to invite them to ‘think in public’
Our values
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The museum’s core values are collaborative, welcoming, enterprising and forward looking.