Gilbert Collection facts for kids

The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection is a special group of beautiful art objects. It was put together by a man named Sir Arthur Gilbert. He was born in England but made a lot of money in California. Sir Arthur loved collecting fancy items, especially old silver. In 1996, he gave his amazing collection to the people of Britain. Today, you can see it at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The Collection's Journey

For many years, the Gilbert Collection was shown at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in America. Sir Arthur had planned to give it to LACMA permanently. However, he later decided to give it to his home country, England, instead. This happened after some disagreements about how the collection should be displayed.

In 2000, the collection opened to the public in London. It was called "The Gilbert Collection" and was shown in seventeen rooms at Somerset House. An actor named Tony Clarkin narrated the tour. This display at Somerset House continued until January 27, 2008.

After that, the collection moved to its new and permanent home. It became part of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. A new display for the collection opened there on June 30, 2009.

Later, in 2011, about fifty items from the collection went back to LACMA. They were sent as a long-term loan. This means they are still part of the Gilbert Collection but are on display in America.