The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is quietly exploring the possibility of establishing a standalone public museum for its extensive architecture collections, with the former Museum of London building emerging as a potential new home. This development comes after RIBA ended its longstanding arrangement with the Victoria and Albert Museum, which had housed its collections since 2004.
According to exclusive reports, RIBA has been actively progressing proposals for housing its collections and has narrowed down its search to several locations in London requiring between 1,800 to 3,700 square meters of space. Among the sites under consideration is the former Museum of London building in the City of London, though discussions regarding this location remain in very preliminary stages.
The 1976 building on the edge of the Barbican estate, originally designed by Powell and Moya, faces an uncertain future as it is slated for demolition under the controversial London Wall West development scheme. This project, designed by Sheppard Robson and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, received approval from then-Communities Secretary Michael Gove in 2024. However, construction has not yet begun, and the building currently serves as temporary space for various uses, including a sixth-form educational center.
RIBA's museum plans appear to draw inspiration from the V&A East Storehouse, also designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, which opened its collections to the public earlier this year. However, sources indicate that RIBA has cooled on the idea of using space at the same Here East location where the V&A facility is situated. When approached for comment, RIBA officials declined to discuss the speculation surrounding their collection plans.
The proposed museum represents a significant expansion of RIBA's current House of Architecture program, which carries an £85 million budget. Under the existing plan, approximately £58.8 million has been allocated for the Benedetti-designed renovation of RIBA's headquarters at 66 Portland Place in central London. An additional £26.2 million has been set aside for other improvements, including technology upgrades, rebranding efforts, and collection-related expenses.
Industry sources suggest that the latest museum proposal could increase the total House of Architecture budget by roughly £15 million, potentially pushing the overall cost beyond £100 million. This substantial investment reflects RIBA's commitment to creating a major public-facing institution dedicated to architecture.
Former RIBA President Muyiwa Oki, who stepped down on August 31, revealed the institute's evolving vision for its collections during a recent interview. "We have updated our thinking as to what is fundable," Oki explained, "and updated our goals to have something similar to the V&A East Storehouse, where it's both a public attraction as well as back-of-house storage for the ever-increasing collection that we have."
Current RIBA President Chris Williamson has embraced the museum concept as a central component of the organization's future plans. During his inauguration last month, Williamson identified the museum of architecture as one of three core pillars of the House of Architecture program. He described the initiative as "an amazing once in a lifetime opportunity, not just the building, but the website, the outreach, and the idea of a museum of architecture." According to Williamson, these three elements together constitute the essence of the House of Architecture program.
The potential move to establish an independent architecture museum marks a significant shift in RIBA's approach to public engagement and collection stewardship. After two decades of partnership with the V&A at South Kensington, RIBA appears determined to create its own dedicated space that would serve both as a public attraction and a proper repository for its growing archives and architectural artifacts.
