The exterior elevations of the building were designed by James William Wild[4] in red brick in a Rundbogenstil (round-arched) style very similar to that in contemporary Germany and using a cast iron structure manufactured by Charles Denoon Young and Company.

For many years some of the collection of the V&A's sculptures by Auguste Rodin, including those donated by the artist, were exhibited at Bethnal Green, alongside childhood-related dispays.

The museum closed in October 2003 for extensive renovations of the roof structure, re-display of the collections, construction of learning centre at lower ground floor and the creation of a new entrance, costing £4.7 million.

The entrance was designed by Caruso St John Architects 'patterned elevations of red quartzite and brown porphyries, to gives the Museum the formal front and outward aspect that it previously lacked'.

[10] After temporary storage at South Kensington, they were to join the rest of the V&A East Museum at Stratford Waterfront "in a few years time".

[12] In June 2023, museum director Tristram Hunt instructed the removal of two books on gender and sexual orientation and a poster from the charity Stonewall that read "Some people are trans, get over it!