An exhibition dedicated to the career of the late David Bowie has become the most-visited show in the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum’s 164-year history.

The show, David Bowie Is, features the musician’s own instruments, sketches, musical scores and costumes – including his Ziggy Stardust jumpsuit.

Launched in London in 2013, the exhibition is currently on a worldwide tour and has been visited by more than 1.5 million people in countries including Australia, Brazil and Canada.

The museum was given access to Bowie’s archive of 60,000 objects – including 60 stage costumes, photography, film, music videos, set designs and storyboards.

The Starman singer visited the exhibition during its six-month run in London in 2013 and was said to be “moved” by the reaction of visitors to the collection, according to co-curator Victoria Broackes.

Ms Broackes said: “One stand-out visit amongst the many people who saw the show was, of course, David Bowie himself.

“We were very honoured that he came to visit. In the course of a couple of hours, he seemed to go from showing his family the objects to becoming genuinely affected by the experience.

“We had heard anecdotally before the visit that Bowie had been very moved by the visitors’ response to the exhibition; that people were queuing round the block to see it, and going round the show dancing, singing or sometimes in tears.

“I think it’s very different to then see why for yourself. It was a great moment.”

Meanwhile, a crowdfunding movement has raised more than £25,000 in a bid to have a statue of David built in Aylesbury – where he performed early in his career.

The campaign is aiming to reach £100,000 to build the statue in the town’s market square near to where he first played two of his most widely loved albums – Hunky Dory and The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust.

David died on January 10, two days after his 69th birthday, following a private 18-month battle with liver cancer.