V&A East Museum has announced that tickets are now on sale for its inaugural exhibition, “The Music is Black: A British Story”, opening on 18 April 2026.
The landmark exhibition explores the profound influence of Black British music on culture in the UK and beyond, tracing its roots back over 125 years to African musical traditions shaped by migration, colonialism, and innovation. Presented as a multi-sensory experience, it brings together more than 200 objects, including over 60 new acquisitions spanning music, fashion, photography, technology, and personal artefacts. Highlights range from Winifred Atwell's piano and Jme's Super Nintendo used for early music experiments, to iconic outfits worn by artists such as Little Simz, Seal, Dame Shirley Bassey, and Skin.
The exhibition is launching along with the brand-new East London museum, dedicated to highlighting the power of creativity to drive change around the world. Part of the East Bank quarter, the V&A East Museum is spread across five storeys and represents one of the biggest new additions to London's cultural scene in years.
You can find out more about “The Music is Black: A British Story” and book tickets here.