History Foundation thumb|upright|right|Henry Cole, the museum's first director thumb|Frieze detail from internal courtyard showing Queen Victoria in front of the 1851 Great Exhibition The Victoria and Albert Museum has its origins in the Great Exhibition of 1851. Henry Cole was the museum's first director, he was also involved in the planning. Initially the V&A was known as the Museum of Manufactures. The first opening to the general public was in May 1852 at Marlborough House. By September the collection had been transferred to Somerset House. At this stage, the collections covered both applied art and science. Several of the exhibits from the opening Exhibition were purchased by the museum to form the kernel of the V&A collection.
History Foundation thumb|upright|right|Henry Cole, the museum's first director thumb|Frieze detail from internal courtyard showing Queen Victoria in front of the 1851 Great Exhibition The Victoria and Albert Museum has its origins in the Great Exhibition of 1851. Henry Cole was the museum's first director he was also involved in the planning. Initially the V&A was known as the Museum of Manufactures. Th,e first opening to the general public was in May 1852 at Marlborough House. By September the collection had been transferred to Somerset House. At this stage, the collections covered both applied art and science. Several of the exhibits from the opening Exhibition were purchased by the museum to form the kernel of the V&A collection.