The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has officially acquired “Me at the zoo,” the first video ever uploaded to YouTube, for its permanent collection. The 19-second clip was uploaded on April 23, 2005, by YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim. It is now displayed in the museum’s Design 1900–Now gallery in South Kensington.
The acquisition includes a full digital reconstruction of YouTube’s “watch page” as it appeared on December 8, 2006. This is the oldest documented version of the platform. Visitors can see early features such as the original Adobe Flash player, rating buttons, and badges.
The project followed an 18-month collaboration. The V&A’s digital conservation team worked with YouTube’s UX department and design studio oio. Together, they focused on preserving the early software architecture that defined the internet’s Web 2.0 era.
Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube, described the importance of the reconstruction.
“By reconstructing the original 2005 watchpage, we aren’t just showing a video; we are inviting the public to step back in time to the beginning of a global cultural phenomenon. It is a proud moment to see this piece of digital history housed in the V&A where we hope it will inspire generations to come.”
Corinna Gardner, Senior Curator of Design and Digital at the V&A, also highlighted its historical value.
“This snapshot of YouTube during the early days of web 2.0 marks an important moment in the history of the internet and digital design. The acquisition opens new storytelling opportunities for us to showcase and explore the ways in which the internet has shaped our world.”
Renato Verdugo added that the exhibit captures the “foundational moment in the rise of user-generated content.”
While the main display is in South Kensington, visitors can explore a technical breakdown of the reconstruction process at the V&A East Storehouse.
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