Taylor Swift Lends Personal Items to U.K.’s V&A for ‘Journey around Museum’

Reuters

17:24 JST, August 1, 2024

LONDON (Reuters) — Outfits, musical instruments and other objects on loan from U.S. musician Taylor Swift are going on display at London’s V&A in a temporary summer exhibition.

Titled “Taylor Swift | Songbook Trail” the exhibition is made up of 13 installations dotted across the museum’s many galleries.

“It’s a journey around the museum,” curator Kate Bailey said.

“It follows chapters in Taylor Swift’s career, and we highlight the eras and showcase objects and looks worn by Taylor across the different spaces in the museum.”

Bailey and her team were given access to Swift’s personal archives to pick items for the theatrically staged installations, which are placed in carefully chosen galleries that connect to moments in the 14-time Grammy winner’s career.

Among the objects on show are customized cowboy boots worn by a young Swift at the start of her career; the wig and facial hair she sported in “The Man” music video; reproductions of the hand-drawn storyboards for the “Willow” music video and a golden microphone with snake detail used by Swift, now 34, on the “Reputation” stadium tour.

Also on display are the ukulele played by Swift on the “Speak Now” world tour and the fisherman cap she wore on the “Red (Taylor’s Version)” album cover.

“It’s been a really fast-moving project, where I got to select works from the collection,” said Bailey. “I wanted to make sure that we were able to showcase costumes, but also musical instruments, objects that kind of convey her whole career and creativity.”

“It’s the first time we’ve done a trail in this way. And it’s the first time these objects have been seen in the U.K.. So, it’s incredibly exciting and it’s free.”

“Taylor Swift Songbook Trail” is displayed throughout the V&A South Kensington from June 27 to September 8. According to the museum the trail takes 60-90 minutes to complete.