Tate Modern Museum

Address: Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG, England

Website: https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern

Hours: Sun-Thu 10am-6pm, Fri-Sat 10am-10pm

Admission: Free entry to the permanent collection; special exhibitions and events are ticketed

Tate Modern is the United Kingdom’s national museum of international modern and contemporary art, housed in the former Bankside Power Station on the south bank of the Thames in London. The conversion of the power station created large, flexible gallery spaces that host major temporary commissions and displays from the Tate collection.

One of the museum’s most recognisable spaces is the vast Turbine Hall, used for single works and large-scale installations, while the surrounding galleries and a more recent tower extension present thematic and chronological displays. The museum draws international exhibitions alongside displays of British and international modern art.

The building was converted for museum use and opened to the public in 2000, transforming an industrial landmark into a cultural institution. It forms part of a cluster of cultural sites on Bankside including theatre and exhibition spaces.

Tate Modern sits on Bankside in central London, adjacent to the River Thames and within walking distance of St Paul’s Cathedral across the river and other central London attractions.

• Building: The museum is housed in a converted Bankside Power Station; expect large-scale installations and rotating temporary exhibitions as well as the national collection of modern art.
• Admission: Free general admission to the collection galleries is standard, while special exhibitions typically require a ticket.

What to See#

• Turbine Hall: The Turbine Hall, a long industrial nave used for large-scale installations and commissions that has become a signature feature of the gallery.
• Galleries: The main modern and contemporary galleries occupying the converted power station spaces and the newer tower extension which house rotating temporary and permanent displays.
• Riverside public spaces: A riverside location on Bankside with viewing areas and a publicly accessible foyer and café spaces.

Tate Modern is on the south bank of the Thames at Bankside beside the Millennium Bridge. It’s a 5-10 minute walk from Southwark Station (Jubilee line) and about a 10-15 minute walk from London Bridge Station (Northern/Jubilee) or Blackfriars Station (National Rail/Elizabeth line). The museum is easily reached on foot from the City of London and central London by crossing the Millennium or Southwark bridges; roads serve the area but public transport and walking are usually fastest.

• Visit on a weekday morning or late on a Friday/Saturday (when the galleries stay open late) to avoid the biggest visitor rush; the Turbine Hall installations are busiest midday and on weekends.
• Enter via the Switch House/Blavatnik Building to use the free viewing level with long-distance views of the City and St Paul's-many visitors miss this free vantage point above the galleries.
• If you want to see major temporary exhibitions, book advance tickets for those galleries to skip long queues; otherwise prioritize the Turbine Hall and the less-visited upper floors of the Switch House for quieter contemporary displays.