To call Tate Modern an art museum though true, feels like an understatement. It is more than an art museum, every major city has a half decent modern art museum. It is an institution with influence far beyond the city. A cultural behemoth that anchors London’s art scene and defines the realm of modern art at a global scale.
Tate’s monumental collection catalogues the evolution of modern art from the early 20th century to the present, catering to casual art lovers and those with more academic ambitions. The sheer scale solidifies its place as an essential part of the global art world.
Right on the Thames at the southern end of the Millennium Bridge (and boasting unobstructed views of St. Paul), Tate Modern is a sprawling behemoth of a building. It’s a dual act: the original Boiler House and the newer Blavatnik Building, connected by a massive central artery, Turbine Hall, a stark contemporary vault with striking light that evokes the drama of a medieval cathedral nave hosting massive installations that change each year. The permanent collection spans several floors of the Boiler House, organized thematically to follow ideas and movements rather than a straight chronological journey. And throughout the two buildings, there’s ample space for special exhibitions (which require a separate ticket) and several museum shops.
The building itself is storied: the iconic brick façade and towering chimney once was the Bankside Power Station in the mid 1900s. In 2000, it was transformed into a museum by renowned architects Herzong & de Meuron. The heavy industrial materials that make up the structure is cut by the energy of the modern art it houses, enveloping visitors in a world separated from the city around it, with the occasional breathtaking cityscape through the windows.
As for the collection, it’s truly a collection of the who’s who in modern and contemporary art. There’s celebrated works by Picasso and Warhol. Matisse’s brilliant cutout The Snail, and DalÃ’s delightfully surreal Metamorphosis of Narcissus. There’s Duchamp’s provocative Fountain, and several radical pieces by Man Ray. And perhaps the most evocative experience in the collection: the Rothko Room, a dimly lit room filled with 9 of Rothko’s large, abstract expressionist paintings that swallow viewers into silent contemplation. Tate Modern’s collection is a survey of modern art history interwoven with the context of the 20th century, showing how art continues to be a medium through which humans make sense of, react to, and influence the world, even in and perhaps most urgently in darker times.
the details
| Address | Bankside, London SE1 9TG |
| Website | https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern |
| Reviews | https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g186338-d187677-Reviews-Tate_Modern-London_England.html |
| @tate | |
| Hours | 10am – 6pm every day |
| Price | admission to the permanent collection is free, while special exhibitions require separate tickets |
| Aesthetic | industrial, lofty, contemporary in almost a brutalist way |
good to know
Go here for: an immersion in some of the best modern and contemporary art in the world
Don’t miss: take the elevator up to the viewing level for panoramic views of the city and a cafe
Amount of time to spend: at least 2-3 hours to fully explore the permanent collection, but best to give it at least a half day
When to come: come early in the day on a weekday for fewer crowds
Getting here: the Bankside ferry terminal drops you off right in front of the museum. By train, Southwark Station (Jubilee line) is about a 10 minute walk away and Blackfriars Station (Circle, District) across the river is also about a 10 minute walk.
Last visited: March 2025
Last updated: November 2025