It looks like the V&A's loss could be the Horniman's gain.

The Victoria and Albert Museum is to place its public display of musical instruments into storage this spring as part of a planned redesign of the institution?s fashion galleries. The V&A?s permanent exhibition of musical instruments, presently housed alongside fashion in its Room 40, will be removed to make way for the extensive renovation as part of the museum?s ongoing Future Plan initiative. The museum intends to display some of its musical instrument collection in the furniture gallery, set to open in 2012.

?The V&A and the Horniman Museum are discussing the long term loan of significant objects from the V&A's collection of musical instruments to the Horniman Museum,? the V&A?s spokesman added. ?In the interim, the musical instrument collection will be accessible by appointment as part of the Museum's Study Collections at Blythe House, Kensington Olympia.?


Background:
Classical Music article
Evening Standard article