Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, officially opens the V&A Dundee.
Photo: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
Kate Middleton Officially Opens the V&A Dundee
The Duchess of Cambridge serves as the V&A’s royal patron and was on hand for the new museum’s official opening this week
Kate Middleton declared the V&A Dundee officially open this week. Middleton, who serves as the royal patron of the V&A, received a tour of the Kengo Kuma–designed building, which houses Scotland’s first design museum, and made a short speech.
“I have been captivated by the breathtaking architecture and the sheer range of design on display,” the Duchess of Cambridge said at the opening. “I believe we should celebrate all our leading galleries, museums, and cultural centers playing a greater role in communities, not just in London, but up and down the country too. The cultural riches of the U.K. belong to all people of the U.K.”
The museum has already welcomed over 360,000 visitors since it opened its doors in September. Set on the banks of the River Tay, the $105 million edifice took eight years to complete, and inside more than 300 objects from the V&A’s archives are on display. Kuma designed the imposing building, which has a stepped façade clad in 2,500 precast concrete panels, to evoke Scotland’s rugged coastal cliffs.
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V&A Dundee. Photo: Hufton + Crow
“Walking around this world-class space, it’s easy to see how Scotland’s first dedicated design museum is already inspiring the next generation by providing a new learning space for discovery,” said the duchess, who was accompanied by her husband, Prince William. “I hope that this museum will serve as an inspiration to others by showing how great things can be achieved when different communities all pull together.”
Cover: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, officially opens the V&A Dundee.
Photo: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
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