Exhibitions 24 Oct 2026 – 17 Jan 2027 10:00–17:45

Freddie Mercury | Splendid Things at the V&A

V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL, London · Organised by Victoria and Albert Museum

A red paper crown with gold and red points standing on a cream ground against a black wall, a small white microphone on a cable leaning against it

Dates: 24 Oct 2026 – 17 Jan 2027
Time: 10:00 – 17:45
Duration: 7 hours 45 minutes a day
Format: In person
Where: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL, London
Tickets: Free
Organiser: Victoria and Albert Museum

Freddie Mercury would have been eighty this year, and the V&A has marked it without a gallery or a queue. Splendid Things is a trail: eight of his looks, set out across the South Kensington museum, from the music videos to the stage.

Dates and price

The trail runs until Sunday 17 January 2027. It is free, and the museum says plainly that no booking and no ticket are needed.

Where the outfits come from

Every piece is lent by Mary Austin, his partner in the early years and his friend for the rest of his life. The V&A describes them as eight looks spanning his career.

Opening hours

The V&A South Kensington opens daily from 10.00 to 17.45, and until 22.00 on Fridays. The trail keeps the museum's hours.

A trail is a different visit from an exhibition: the eight looks sit among the permanent collections, so the route takes you through rooms you might not otherwise walk into, and it takes longer than eight objects suggest. Friday evening is the time to go if the half-term crowds put you off — the museum stays open until ten, and the families have gone home by seven. South Kensington is the station, by the subway that comes out at the museum's side door.