Freddie Mercury’s stage style comes to the V&A in a free London trail

Queen fans have a new reason to head to South Kensington this weekend. Freddie Mercury | Splendid Things opens at the V&A on Saturday 24 October, bringing eight of the singer’s looks into the museum’s galleries. Admission to the trail is free and no ticket is required, making it an accessible addition to a London day out for music lovers who want to explore the visual side of a familiar voice.

The display marks the 80th anniversary year of Mercury’s birth. It is arranged as a route around the museum, so visitors should think of it as a sequence of discoveries rather than a single exhibition room. The official announcement gives a closing date of 17 January 2027. There is time to plan a visit beyond opening weekend, although checking the museum’s current visitor information before travelling is still sensible.

Eight looks, six stops

Developed with Mary Austin, who is lending seven of the looks, the trail has six stops. Designer Tom Piper has created the installations, with specially posed mannequins and theatrical settings intended to evoke Mercury’s presence as a performer. The costumes sit in dialogue with the surrounding galleries and architecture, connecting pop performance with the museum’s wider interest in design.

Highlights announced for the trail include the monochrome outfit associated with Queen’s 1973 debut album cover, Wendy de Smet’s Mercury Wing catsuit and the crown and cloak designed by Diana Moseley for the 1986 Magic Tour. A costume from the Made in Heaven video brings Mercury’s solo work into the story. Accessories and personal wardrobe pieces add another perspective alongside the major stage looks.

Why this is a music story as much as a fashion story

For listeners, the attraction is the chance to look more closely at the image that accompanies a song. Radio gives us the voice, the arrangement and the emotional lift. A costume display invites a different kind of attention: to silhouette, colour and the way an outfit can make a performer immediately recognisable across a crowded room.

You do not need a detailed knowledge of Queen’s catalogue to enjoy that comparison. Start with a look you recognise, then read its label and notice what changes when it is separated from a concert film or music video. Details that disappear in a wide stage shot can become the centre of attention. Equally, an outfit that seems extravagant in isolation may make more sense when you imagine the scale of a performance.

A separate talk for fans who want the making-of story

The museum also lists Staging Freddie on Friday 23 October, from 6.30pm to 7.30pm. The current listing names designer Wendy de Smet and Queen photographer Denis O’Regan as speakers. The museum says Diana Moseley is no longer able to take part. The in-person event was listed as sold out when checked; it should not be treated as part of the free trail’s admission offer.

An online version is separately advertised at £8. The livestream listing says it will take place on Zoom, with viewing links sent to ticket holders on the morning of the event. It also says a recording will remain available for three months afterwards. Check the booking page for current availability before paying. This is a useful distinction for fans outside London: the talk offers a remote option, while the costume trail itself requires a museum visit.

Planning your visit

The venue is V&A South Kensington on Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL. Make sure this is the location in your journey planner, rather than another V&A site. The display’s free, no-booking arrangement does not mean that every exhibition or event elsewhere in the museum is also free.

For a relaxed visit, leave enough room in your plans to follow all six stops rather than arriving just before closing. Check current opening hours, accessibility information and any gallery notices on the museum’s own website. Save the display listing on your phone before setting off, and ask museum staff where the trail begins if the route is not immediately obvious.

For Energy Radio listeners, this is a chance to put the songs back into their visual world: a free cultural stop that connects a London museum visit with one of British music’s most distinctive performers.

Sources: V&A display · Official announcement · In-person talk · Livestream booking