Dome

Open crown tower of the Cromwell Road facade, seen from the rear garden court; The world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects. Named after Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, it was founded in 1852, and has since grown to now cover 12.5 acres (51,000 m2) and 145 galleries. Originally named The South Kensington Museum, the museum on the current site opened in 1857. Webb also contributed three major buildings in South Kensington, London. The first, won in an invited competition (1891), was for a major addition to the Victoria and Albert Museum with a façade to Cromwell Road. With this design, Webb stretched his talent for mixing Renaissance styles to its limit, creating a skyline broken by pavilion domes, campaniles and, at the centre of the principal façade, a column-tiered tower supporting an open crown. The laying of the foundation stone to the left of the main entrance of the Aston Webb building, on 17 May 1899 was the last official public appearance by Queen Victoria. The opening ceremony for the Aston Webb building by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra took place on 26 June 1909. Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.oxfordartonline.com/ (accessed 5/8/2011)