David Bowie’s first saxophone, his passport from 1988 and the stopwatch he used when writing songs are among the previously unseen items in the exhibition “David Bowie: On Tour”. The exhibition opened at V&A Dundee in Dundee and will remain there until 15 February 2027.
It includes around 100 exhibits selected from approximately 90,000 items in the musician’s personal archive. It is the first exhibition to present materials from the archive acquired by the V&A museum in London in 2023. The special David Bowie Centre was created to preserve the collection.
One of the highlights is the saxophone given to Bowie by his father for Christmas in 1961. A test pressing of The Velvet Underground’s 1967 song “I'm Waiting for the Man” is also on display.
The display cases also include the performer’s British passport from 1988, as well as the stopwatch he used while working on songs. The exhibition also features a letter from December 1973, addressed to “Mr Bowie” and signed by his London neighbours.
“We would be most grateful if you would show some consideration and turn the volume of the music down considerably, and also stop it at a reasonable hour,” the letter says.
V&A Dundee director Leonie Bell describes the exhibition as “an opportunity to get close to personal and intimate objects” that show how Bowie thought, worked and reinvented himself.
The exhibition also highlights the musician’s connection with Scotland. In 1966, David Bowie and his band The Buzz appeared on stage in Dundee, near the Palais de Danse – an iconic dance hall and music venue in the city. Although the band was not among the main acts on the bill, this marked the beginning of his lasting connection with Scottish audiences.
The exhibition also traces Bowie’s numerous concerts in Scotland. Curator Svetlana Panova says that while researching his appearances in Dundee, the team was struck by the way these events continue to live on in the memories of local fans.
“David Bowie: On Tour” will be on display in Dundee until 15 February 2027. Through personal belongings, musical materials and documents, it tells the story of the performer’s journey from his early stage appearances to his transformation into one of the most influential musicians of the 20th and 21st centuries.