LONDON Mar. 21 (People's Daily Online) - The Design Museum will open in its new home, which is the result of transformation of a landmark building from the 1960s, on Kensington High Street this November.

For the first time in the museum’s history it will have a free permanent display of its collection - Designer Maker User tells the story of contemporary design through these three interconnected roles. A wall at the entrance to the gallery will feature some of the world’s most popular affordable consumer goods, crowdsourced from the public via the museum’s website.

The museum’s opening exhibitions have also been revealed. The first exhibition from the museum’s Chief Curator, Justin McGuirk, is Fear and Love: Reactions to a Complex World. Featuring a series of newly commissioned installations, Fear and Love is an insight into our hopes and doubts about the pace and impact of change. 

The Design Museum has also announced significant partnerships with Vitra, whose furniture will be used throughout the museum’s public spaces and office areas; and with Phaidon, who will publish books to accompany the museum’s major exhibitions, as well as a new guide and history of the Design Museum.

Deyan Sudjic, Director of the Design Museum said: ‘This move will redefine the Design Museum as the most inspiring, exciting and engaging contemporary design and architecture museum in the world, with 10,000sqm of space, and a target of 650,000 visitors each year. Design is the way to ask questions about what technology is doing to us, to explore how the world will look and work as well as to define new aesthetic approaches. The museum will have a challenging programme that encourages new work and new thinking, and the touring, digital and publications programme will take the message around the world. The museum will nurture new generations of designers and continue its history of recognising and supporting emerging design talent.’

Sir Terence Conran, founder of the Design Museum said: ‘If you forced me to pick the single most rewarding achievement in my long design career then I would not hesitate to say founding the Design Museum in London. It was a hugely important moment for design in the UK at the time and for me personally. Since 1989 the museum has always led the way and been the first to show some of the work and inspirations of many of the most important designers and architects on the planet. Today, we are about to move from Shad Thames to new, bigger premises in Kensington, where all our dreams and ambitions to create the best and most important design museum in the world will become a step closer to reality. It will make my long lifetime in design absolutely worthwhile.’

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said: ‘The Design Museum is one of the UK’s world-class cultural institutions showcasing the best of contemporary design and architecture. I’m delighted the museum will have its first free permanent display, which will make exciting design even more accessible to the public.’