Welcome to the VCGDC, the Hub’s own museum collection of brilliantly designed but very cheap objects. They don’t need to have changed the world or have cost a fortune in an international auction house, VCGDC objects simply have to be the best possible design as chosen by the VCGDC curator, which is you.

Find images of VCGDcollection artefacts

The Collection

The VCGDC is about the physical design of our world – it’s a design rather than art or science collection. The Hub’s interest is in works that show great design thinking, whether a new pork pie or a fighter aircraft. Our interest is the brilliance of manufacture, even if the materials are cheap. We have great interest in the reasons behind the design and making – whether good or bad. We also have a great interest in why the people who buy and use them. It’s a huge range of possibilities for a collection that could be mind bogglingly huge.

We have chosen to focus on very cheap objects because it’s often the most inexpensive objects that are the most important – the plastic components of a medical drip in a hospital are examples of remarkable design thinking.

Unusually, the curatorial decision making is yours. There is only one reason a work can’t enter the collection – if it is for any reason offensive. In some cases we might not be able to hold an actual object but just a picture or model of it – food or drink is a potential example.

Find out a bit more about the history of museum collections:

How to contribute

Don’t be afraid to contribute the bizarre or the daft – a party hat or a sardine can will be fine providing you genuinely think them to be brilliant design. There are other conditions:

You will have to tell us why the object is design heaven. The form is very much like an IKEA label so everyone can read it. Say if you would like to test the words with someone at the Hub - two minds can sometimes be better than one.

You will have to be a philanthropist and donate the object. Follow in the footsteps of John Paul Getty, Vivien Duffield and other grand givers.

Over the next couple of years we expect the collection to grow substantially to represent the thinking of five to ninety year olds, professional designers to I-know-what-I-like critics — everyone is welcome — it’s an important principle of ours.

The VCGD collection is a potentially valuable project for primary and secondary schools. We will happily provide more information.

Download the introduction:

and the conditions/label:

contact the VCGD curator>