You can book a one-on-one encounter with an Egyptian shoe

MUSEUMS ARE MAGICAL PLACES. THEY ARE the keepers of so many histories and stories from near and far.

- KAVITA PURI

However, there's a large part of every museum that most people never see. Behind the scenes lies another world: one of conservation, upkeep, research and the moving around of collections, perhaps for an exhibition or to loan to another museum. But what if you could walk around those areas in which objects are stored and restored? What if you could hold the object that you wanted to study or observe up close?

That's now possible in the new V&A East Storehouse in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, east London. This huge space spanning four levels is home to some 250,000 objects and 350,000 books from the museum's collection. Its 1,000 archives document a diverse array of subjects, including the Glastonbury Festival and the world of theatre and performance.