Exhibition, V&A, London, 13th March 2027 – 2nd January 2028
Punk to Pop
Header image: Punk to Pop, 13 March 2027 – 2 January 2028, sponsored by Virgin.
Promotional poster for Sex Pistols’ single ‘God Save the Queen’, 1977. Designed by Jamie Reid © Sex Pistols Residuals.
Opening in March, Punk to Pop will be an immersive exhibition that will re-examine the rich and eclectic creative explosion across music, art and fashion from 1972–1985.
This major exhibition will explore how the 70s fuelled the 80s, and how underground scenes and movements, united by a punk DIY attitude, created enduring musical genres to inspire the future of popular entertainment.
Across three acts and around 300 objects, the exhibition will trace a story through music that begins with the flamboyant aesthetics of glam rock and disco, goes underground with the emergence of new subcultures including punk, Northern Soul, goth and the New Romantics, and finishes with a global pop culture primed for the digital age. Through theatrical staging and a sonic headset experience, the exhibition will show how a generation of self-determined artists – from Sex Pistols to The Slits, Grace Jones to Blondie, Siouxsie Sioux to The Cure, The Specials to Joy Division, Wham! to Eurythmics – responded to austerity, boredom and political turbulence. It will celebrate how a punk spirit sparked a seismic cultural change that dovetailed with rapid technological advances and the richness of a multicultural society.
Highlight objects that feature in the exhibition include Sex Pistols album artwork designed by Jamie Reid, handwritten lyrics by Joy Division’s Ian Curtis, and The Clash’s Mick Jones’ first electric guitar on loan from The Rock & Roll Public Library. Other highlights include photographs of Grace Jones by Andy Warhol, clothing worn by disco legend Sylvester, and glam rock costumes worn by Roxy Music’s Brian Eno and Bryan Ferry. The exhibition also features stage costumes worn by Blondie front-woman Debbie Harry and never-before-displayed stage costumes worn by George Michael.
Image: Punk to Pop, 13 March 2027 – 2 January 2028, sponsored by Virgin.
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley of Wham! photographed in London, 1983 © Gered Mankowitz, Iconic Images.
Visitors will journey through a series of multi-sensory worlds encountering stage costumes, fashion, photography, music videos, designs and live performance – to discover how music provided a place to escape, experiment and dream, and embrace individuality, sexuality and identity. Punk to Pop will celebrate the spirit of punk and music culture, showcasing the relevance and continuum of these transformative decades.
Kate Bailey, Curator of Punk to Pop, said: “Punk to Pop tells the story of a creative and technological explosion that rewired music, fashion and design from the 70s to the 80s. Born from frustration, rebellion and boredom, a generation tore up the rule book, fuelling cultural change through a DIY spirit. Through a rich mix of objects from across the V&A collections, the exhibition will journey from art schools to nightclubs, catwalks to stadiums, music videos to recording studios considering the contemporary relevance of these transformative decades.”
Sam Kelly, Chief Experience Officer at Virgin, said: “Punk is a mindset, and it’s in Virgin’s DNA. Virgin was built on giving people the freedom to do things differently and challenge convention. That spirit still drives us to shake up industries today. We’re proud to support the V&A’s Punk to Pop exhibition, celebrating the people who changed culture and inspiring a new generation to create something new, on their own terms, in their own way.”
Exhibition opens on 13th March 2027
Tickets on sale soon – please check the museum’s website for full details before visiting
Published 14th November 2026
