The V&A has partnered with YouTube to reconstruct the platform's original watchpage using December 2006 internet archive snapshots and has acquired YouTube's first upload, "Me at the Zoo" (April 2005) by co-founder Jawed Karim. The short video — shot on a digital camera — has nearly 380 million views and over 18 million likes and exemplifies early UI conventions like badges and sharing tools. The reconstruction process will be shown at V&A East Storehouse as part of the museum's digital design collection.
V&A Recreates Original YouTube Watchpage and Adds First Upload "Me at the Zoo" to Its Collection
The page was reconstructed using internet archives from 2006 [V&A]
The Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) is offering visitors a chance to "step back in time" with a reconstructed version of YouTube's original watchpage and the acquisition of the platform's first uploaded video, "Me at the Zoo".
The museum worked with YouTube to rebuild the look and feel of the early site using internet archive snapshots from December 2006 — the oldest full capture available — and has added the April 2005 clip uploaded by co-founder Jawed Karim to its permanent collection.
Neal Mohan, YouTube Chief Executive: "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."
Shot on a digital camera, "Me at the Zoo" has been viewed nearly 380 million times and has received more than 18 million likes. The short clip is widely recognised as a milestone in user-generated content and a turning point in how people create and consume media online.
Me at the Zoo was the first video posted to Youtube by its co-founder Jawed Karim [V&A]
Beyond its cultural significance, the exhibit highlights early user-interface conventions that helped shape modern platforms — including badges, rating buttons, sharing tools and recommendation features that are now standard across social and media sites.
Corinna Gardner, Senior Curator of Design and Digital, V&A: "This snapshot of YouTube's early interface marks an important moment in the history of the internet and digital design. The acquisition opens new storytelling opportunities to explore how the internet has reshaped daily life, from the birth of mainstream video sharing to today's creator economy."
The museum will also document the reconstruction process in a mini display at the V&A East Storehouse. This acquisition builds on the V&A's ongoing commitment to collecting and preserving examples of digital design: previous digital additions include WeChat, Flappy Bird, EUKI and the design for the mosquito emoji.
The reconstructed watchpage and the historic video are intended to offer visitors both context and a tangible connection to an early chapter in web and social media history, inviting reflection on how quickly digital culture and interface design have evolved.
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