V&A opens new gallery

The Spiral will eventually house the contemporary collections

London's Victoria and Albert museum has opened a new Contemporary Space with an exhibition of work from the Milan Furniture Fair.

The new gallery, which opened on Sunday, is part of a £150m development programme for the design and arts museum in west London.

The Contemporary Space aims to showcase design, craft, fashion, photography, architecture and the graphic arts from around the world.

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The white gallery space was designed by architect Gareth Hoskins, and will be the centre for the V&A's contemporary works until the opening of the Spiral, which will house the contemporary programme in the future.

The Milan In A Van show is a first for the museum.

The museum has filled a furniture removal van with the most interesting work on show in Milan and presented it for display at the new gallery.

Entry fees

The show, which runs until 9 June, includes work by international contemporary design companies, including Magis, Alessi and Edra - as well as individual designers the Bourellec brothers, Matali Crasset, Norway Says and Pia Wallen.

The V&A has seen a big increase in admissions since entry fees were dropped last November.

More than 1.8 million people visited in the last financial year.

One of the major developments at the south Kensington venue will be the opening of new Mediaeval and Renaissance galleries, which are being part-funded by a £1m anonymous donation.

Half of the £150m budget will be spent on the audacious Spiral building for the V&A's contemporary collections.