Taylor Swift | Songbook Trail will exhibit unseen items from artist’s childhood and recording legacy at London museum
Customised cowboy boots and a black ruffled dress are among items belonging to Taylor Swift going on display at the V&A in London this summer.
The Taylor Swift | Songbook Trail is a free, temporary exhibition celebrating the global superstar through costumes, lyrics, music videos, instruments, awards and storyboards. Many items that explore Swift’s childhood and recording legacy have never been displayed.
“We are delighted to be able to display a range of iconic looks worn by Taylor Swift at the V&A this summer,” said Kate Bailey, the V&A’s senior curator of theatre and performance.
“Taylor Swift’s songs like objects tell stories, often drawing from art, history and literature. We hope this theatrical trail across the museum will inspire curious visitors to discover more about the performer, her creativity and V&A objects.”
There are 13 stops on the trail, each highlighting a particular era of Swift’s music and songwriting. Among the costumes and accessories on loan from the star’s personal archive are customised cowboy boots worn during her breakout success as a country singer in 2007, and a jet-black ruffled shoulder dress worn in the most recent music video for her single Fortnight, from her acclaimed 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department.
The trail will give visitors the opportunity to explore the artist’s personal world and creativity, and celebrate her impact on the world stage and the phenomenon of the “Swiftie” fandom, the V&A said.
At Swift’s recent UK gigs – part of her 152-date, 22-country Eras tour, with each show lasting three hours – hundreds of thousands of fans paid an average of £206 for a ticket.
The 17 dates in the UK were thought to be the most lucrative concert tour in music history. Swift fans are thought to have boosted the London economy by £300m. The pop superstar also played shows in Edinburgh, Liverpool and Cardiff, and will return to London for five nights in August.
The Prince of Wales thanked Swift for a “great evening” after he celebrated his birthday at her Wembley gig on 21 June. Kensington Palace posted a picture on social media of Swift taking a selfie with William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte backstage before the concert.
The V&A exhibition has been designed by Tom Piper, whose best known projects are stage designs for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Tower of London poppies installation and the V&A exhibition Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser.
Taylor Swift | Songbook Trail will be at the V&A from Saturday 27 July to Sunday 8 September
