V&A acquires historic YouTube watch page featuring first-ever upload

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has added a landmark piece of internet history to its collection with the acquisition of a reconstructed early YouTube watch page, featuring the first video ever uploaded to the platform, Me at the zoo by Jawed Karim. Now on display from 18 February 2026 in the Design 1900–Now gallery at V&A South Kensington, the installation allows visitors to experience the video as audiences would have nearly 20 years ago. A companion mini display at V&A East Storehouse explores the detailed reconstruction process behind the acquisition.

YouTube watch page, 8 December 2006 (reconstructed 2026). Museum nos. CD.13:2-2026, CD.14-2026, CD.15:2, 4, 5 and 9-2026. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Originally uploaded on 23 April 2005, the 19-second video shows YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim standing in front of elephants at San Diego Zoo. Filmed on a low-resolution digital camera, the clip has since been viewed almost 380 million times and is widely regarded as a foundational moment in the rise of user-generated content. By bringing this early interface into its collection, the V&A highlights how digital platforms have transformed self-expression, media production and global communication.

Over the past 18 months, V&A curators and digital conservation specialists have worked closely with YouTube’s User Experience team and interaction design studio oio to rebuild the watch page as it appeared on 8 December 2006, the oldest surviving timestamp archived online. The reconstruction showcases early user interface features such as rating buttons, sharing tools and recommendation systems, design conventions that continue to shape today’s digital landscape. The acquisition builds on the museum’s ongoing commitment to preserving digital design, reflecting the profound cultural impact of the internet and its role in shaping contemporary life.

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