Matti Watton

I have been in my role at the V&A since June 2022, and have worked in the archives and records management field for over 25 years, within a range of services. I lead an archives section which manages the V&A’s institutional archives, the Archive of Art and Design (AAD), theatre and performance archives (T&P), and the archives of Young V&A. We are responsible for the development and preservation of the collections, internal and external access, and promotion and engagement work.

The archives team supports research into all aspects of the Museum’s history, including its organisational development, how its collections have evolved, and how its work and approach have changed over time. I assist with the supervision of a PhD on the history of the South Kensington Museum, which preceded the V&A, and we are open to future research collaborations in relation to any part of the archive collections.

I am currently Chair of the British Records Association: a charity which aims to promote the preservation, understanding, accessibility and study of our recorded heritage for public benefit. I am also a regular peer reviewer of applications for archive service accreditation.