Rolling Stones fans to rock up for cinematic exhibition at Victoria and Albert museum

Three years back, the David Bowie Is exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum brought in an incredible 312,000 visitors.

It was the highest attendance at a V&A event for a decade, since 2003’s Art Deco exhibition.

Showing many of the late singer’s stage outfits, instruments, album artwork, lyric sheets and more, it was a huge tourist magnet and did just as well when it went round the rest of the world, selling more than a million tickets.

Now, The Rolling Stones: Exhibitionism will be the new star, at the capital’s Saatchi Gallery for most of this year, and Mick ’n’ Keef will be going some to rival that!

This exhibition, too, will have rare instruments and all manner of memorabilia on display, much of it never seen, or last seen many years ago.

It’s sure to bring in Stones fanatics of all ages from every corner of the planet.

This year, of course, has begun very sadly, with a whole series of music and entertainment stars passing away, and this has made fans even more acutely aware that many of our favourites are in their twilight years.

Let’s hope, of course, that the Stones and other genuine British rock icons live for many years to come, but this seems the perfect time to take a look at their amazing story.

With well over 500 artefacts on show, striking cinematic and interactive technologies and nine different themed galleries, it promises to be a star attraction for 2016.

Exhibitionism, in fact, is the very first international event of its kind to feature the Stones, despite being one of the top handful of groups of all time.

That’s why this one will take over the entire two floors of the Saatchi Gallery, and with half a century of rock landmarks behind the band, there’ll be tons to see.

From dressing-room and backstage paraphernalia to stage designs, iconic costumes and rare audio and video, it’ll be a real eye-opener.

Fans will get to see personal diaries, posters and album covers’ artwork, along with items from the likes of Andy Warhol and Martin Scorsese, all with the full participation of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood.

Like David Bowie Is, of course, all this takes place a stone’s throw from where they first made music.

It’s amazing to think 54 years have passed since the Stones first made their delightful racket, in London in 1962.

It’s great to think that in 2016 they are still touring, and it will be intriguing to see if they match the phenomenal number of people their old mate Bowie brought in.

The Rolling Stones: Exhibitionism At Saatchi Gallery runs from April 5 to September 4.

Prices are £19 for adults, £12 for 6-17s, free for kids under six, concessions £17, and that includes anyone over 60.

Family tickets are £50, with reductions for school students or groups, with one teacher getting free entrance.

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