The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is to host a major exhibition celebrating the life of singer David Bowie ©David Bowie

An extensive archive celebrating the life, work and legacy of pop star David Bowie, who featured at both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of London 2012 without even being present, is to be hosted by the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, it has been announced.

Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum (V and A), the exhibition will include more than 80,000 items that span six decades of the cultural icon’s career.

They will be made available to the public - many for the first time - through the creation of The David Bowie Centre for the Study of Performing Arts, due to open on the Olympic Park in 2025.

Bowie, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who died in January 2016 after a long cancer battle at the age of 69, made an impact at London 2012 without even playing at the Games.

Bowie’s hit Heroes was the music choice to accompany the Great Britain delegation’s march into the Opening Ceremony amid a flood of confetti.

In the Closing Ceremony, a Bowie tribute included a flash of images of the British-born musician and a runway models segment with Bowie’s Fashion playing at the Olympic Stadium.

Bowie turned down an opportunity to play live at the Olympics as he had not toured since 2006.

The new planned exhibition will allow fans and researchers alike to get up close and gain new insights into Bowie’s creative process like never before, the V and A said.

The collection will feature handwritten lyrics, letters, sheet music, original costumes, fashion, photography, film, music videos, set designs, album artwork and awards.

It will also include instruments owned by the world-famous musician, as well as writings and unrealised projects never before seen in public.

Artefacts to be displayed at the exhibition are set to include the iconic Union Jack coat that David Bowie wore ©David Bowie
Artefacts to be displayed at the exhibition are set to include the iconic Union Jack coat that David Bowie wore ©David Bowie

Highlights include stage costumes such as Bowie's breakthrough Ziggy Stardust ensembles, designed by Freddie Burretti in 1972, Kansai Yamamoto's creations for the Aladdin Sane tour in 1973, and the Union Jack coat designed by Bowie and Alexander McQueen for the 1997 Earthling album cover.

The archive also includes over 70,000 photographs, prints, negatives, slides and contact sheets taken by some of the 20th century's leading photographers from Terry O'Neill to Brian Duffy and Helmut Newton.

Its acquisition by the V and A and the creation of the centre was made possible thanks to the David Bowie Estate and a £10 million ($12.5 million/€11.5 million) donation from the Blavatnik Family Foundation and Warner Music Group.