Exclusive visit of the museum archives with artist Peter Kennard

About this event

The Victoria and Albert Museum is opening its archives to 25 people for a private viewing of its collection of posters relating to nuclear disarmament. Guest speaker Peter Kennard and V&A archivist Zorian Clayton will guide us through the collection.

This is a London CND member-only event! If you are not yet a member, you can become one for £3 by buying a ticket. Free tickets are also available below for members:

A bit of history

CND was formed in 1958 in response to the detonation of Britain’s first hydrogen bomb and the Government’s agreement to house American nuclear weapons on British soil. Throughout the 1970s and 80s Peter Kennard’s hugely powerful photomontages ensured that the movement, and the striking imagery that came to represent it, were etched onto the public consciousness.

Peter has gone on to become one of Britain’s leading political artists, creating work which has come to define modern protest. His iconic, haunting images have appeared in publications such as New Scientist, The Guardian, New Statesmen and many more.

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A bit of context

The struggle for nuclear disarmament is as pressing as ever. While the UK already owns nuclear bombs 8 times more powerful than the ones dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the UK government announced an increase of 40% of its nuclear stockpile in 2021. Furthermore, while the Ukraine war saw direct threats of nuclear escalation, the news broke out last month that US nuclear weapons would return to the base of Lakenheath in Suffolk, 100km from London.

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Practical details

We will meet at 2pm inside the Exhibition Road entrance on the day and V&A staff will guide the group up to the Study Room where a wide range of the CND posters will be displayed. It is not far from that entrance and there are lifts close by so it is easily accessible for all.