A few Saturdays ago I caught up with some friends in London. Our plan for the day was to visit the Winnie the Pooh exhibition at the V&A and then a game of crazy golf at Junkyard Golf, just off Brick Lane.
I was due to meet my friends at the V&A just after midday, so after arriving at Paddington a little after 11am, I set off for the V&A on foot via Kensington Gardens.
That day, the sun was shining and aside from a few dog walkers, Kensington Gardens was quiet.
I ambled through the park towards the magnificent Albert memorial (above) – commissioned by Queen Victoria to commemorate her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha after his death in 1861 – and then continued, passing the Royal Albert Hall, on my way down to Exhibition Road and the V&A.
Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic explores the famous children’s stories written by AA Milne and illustrated by EH Shepard.
The exhibition, which runs until 8 April 2018, looks at the origins of Winnie the Pooh, the inspiration behind the characters, places and stories, and how it came to be considered a beloved, world-famous classic.
The exhibition features the cuddly toys upon which the characters are based, photographs and information about AA Milne’s home life and explores the real-life locations behind the Hundred Acre Wood, Galleon’s Lap and more.
It also showcases lots of Winnie the Pooh-related merchandise and objects, including some first edition books, which must be worth a fortune; board games; lunchboxes; and a very rare Winnie the Pooh tea set that was given to The Queen as a child.
There’s lots for kids to enjoy, with a slide, cubby holes, a doorway and games among the exhibition’s interactive elements. One of the best interactive elements was the illustrated recreation of Poohsticks bridge (above).
My mum used to play Poohsticks with us as kids, but it was only here that I realised where the game came from – I hadn’t made the Winnie the Pooh connection before!
The best part of the exhibition was EH Shepard’s amazing illustrations. EH Shepard liked to base his illustrations upon real-life objects and places, and it was fascinating to compare his drawings with photographs of the real-life versions.
The exhibition also looks at Shepard’s technique and it was interesting to see his original pencil sketches – in some he’d redrawn the characters repeatedly – alongside the final ink versions.
As well as Shepard’s illustrations, the exhibition features lots of familiar excerpts from the stories – including Eeyore losing his tail and Piglet’s reaction when Eeyore suggested Owl have Piglet’s house – and they brought back lots of fond memories from my childhood.
Winnie the Pooh: Exploring a Classic is a fantastic, well-curated exhibition and I very much enjoyed it.
There was lots to see and do, and I turned into a child again as we posed for photos on Poohsticks bridge, played with the interactive games and got into the spirit of the exhibition.
It was also interesting to learn more about these iconic stories and characters that were such a big part of my childhood.
Info
V&A – Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic
Open daily until 8 April 2018
Costs £8
vam.ac.uk
Little Old World 
This looks like a fun exhibition, and I’m glad to read a review from someone who visited without children – I’d like to see it, but have been put off because it seems like it’s aimed mainly at families (I like interactive stuff as much as anyone, but not when I have to deal with dirty looks from parents when I try to use it). Good to know that it’s enjoyable for all ages!
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I know what you mean about visiting places that are aimed at children – I often feel I can’t enjoy the interactive elements as an adult without children, even though I’d love to join in. We went on a Saturday afternoon and there weren’t many children, so we felt comfortable having a go at the activities.
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