London's Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has announced the opening of its new Theatre and Performance Galleries in March 2009.

Focusing on performance types including ballet, pantomine, theatre and rock music, the new permanent galleries, costing approximately £1m, will house over 250 objects from the V&A's collections, presenting live performance in Britain over the last 350 years. The exhibits will include a first folio of Shakespeare's plays from 1623, costumes and sets from productions and Pete Townshend's guitar (smashed during his performance with band The Who), the score for Jesus Christ Superstar (1971) and an early draft of Richard Sheridan's The School for Scandal (1777).

The 760sq m (8,180.57sq ft) galleries will be focused on the process of production and performance from the initial concept and design to opening night, including set models, stage props, costumes, original posters, paintings and photographs. A large area will be dedicated to stage garments worn by actors such as Richard Burton and Laurence Olivier at the Old Vic, Vivien Leigh and Margot Fonteyn as well as an Ossie Clark-designed jump suit worn by Mick Jagger on tour with the Rolling Stones.

There will also be posters and programmes from productions ranging over 200 years ago and a film has been specially commissioned for the gallery exploring what performance is and features interviews with playwright Michael Frayn, and directors including Sir Peter Hall, Peter Brook and director of the Royal Ballet, Monica Mason. Admission to these galleries is free and have been created by V&A Design, in collaboration with curators Kate Doreney, curator of Modern and Contemporary Performance at the V&A.