YouTube enters V&A collection

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is helping preserve and document the history and culture of the internet with its latest landmark acquisition: a reconstruction of an early YouTube watch page, featuring the first-ever upload, "Me at the zoo.”

Opening February 18 at V&A, the exhibit captures YouTube as it appeared on December 8, 2006. Developed by the museum alongside YouTube’s UX team and interaction design studio oio, the exhibit showcases the early designs of elements that continue to shape the internet today like badges, rating buttons, and sharing and recommendation features.

The 19-second clip of YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim, filmed on a low-res camera in 2005 is widely considered a foundational moment in the rise of user-generated content, enabling new modes of public self-expression, changing how media is created and consumed.

Visitors can experience this piece of history in the Design 1900–Now gallery at the V&A South Kensington, while a behind-the-scenes look at the technical reconstruction will be hosted at the V&A East Storehouse.