The Victoria and Albert Museum will rebuild its South Asia gallery following financial support

The Victoria and Albert Museum will showcase a rare ceiling from India for the first time in more than 70 years when it redevelops its South Asia gallery over the next few years.

The project will see the central London museum create a new gallery which, after receiving support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will reinterpret its expansive and diverse collection of South Asian art and design.

The opening will take place in spring 2028 and will be accompanied by a rich program of activities on and off site, as well as online.

The gallery will be built around a new narrative exploring South Asian artistic work across diverse cultures and its impact on the world.

Space will be divided into three periods – Early and Medieval South Asia from around 3000 BC to 1500 AD, Early Modern from around 1500 to 1800 AD, and Modern from around 1800 to the present.

Currently, the museum’s collection includes approximately 50,000 objects dating from 3000 BC to the present day, including works of decorative art and manuscripts related to court culture, a collection of textiles and costumes, and a wide selection of paintings.

The items also include sculptures and architectural elements from South Asia, weapons and armor, and Indo-European furniture.

The redevelopment of the collection aims to explore “the colonial history of the V&A’s South Asian collection and the complex history of collecting South Asian art in the UK,” the museum says.

Among the rare items that will be on display as part of the restoration will be the newly restored Kochi Ceiling, a painted and carved wooden ceiling of a 19th century South Indian temple that will be preserved, reconstructed and suspended at height.

The ceiling, which was stored for over 70 years and was last on display in 1955, contains beautifully carved panels depicting Hindu deities and stories from the Ramayana.

The museum said a contemporary artist or designer will be commissioned to create a series of new panels that will fill gaps in the original ceiling, thus combining historical and contemporary art.

V&A Director Tristram Hunt said: “We are delighted to be supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to transform our historic South Asia gallery, which houses one of the V&A’s oldest collections.

“The collection is one of the most important of its kind in the Western world and we are extremely grateful for this grant, which will help create a world-leading gallery for South Asian art and design and connect with a new generation of British, global artists and diasporic communities.”

Stuart McLeod, Director of London & South at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, added: “We are delighted to be providing our initial support to the V&A to re-present and re-interpret their hugely important collection of South Asian art and design.

“One of the things that stood out to us was their commitment to consultation and collaboration to create a gallery that reflected the diverse histories and cultures of South Asia.

“We look forward to working with the team to advance our plans to apply for full funding at a later date.”

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded development funding of £250,000 to help the V&A with its plans to apply for the full National Lottery grant of £4 million at a later date.