Set inside a hulking former power station on the South Bank, Tate Modern is Britain’s home of modern and contemporary art — and one of the most visited modern art museums in the world. Even if abstract art usually leaves you cold, the building, the river views, and the sheer ambition of the place make it well worth the visit. And, like London’s other great galleries, the main collection is free.
Art in a Power Station
Tate Modern’s setting is half the experience. The vast Turbine Hall, once home to the station’s electricity generators, is now a cavernous entrance space used for huge, often interactive art installations that change regularly — some of the most talked-about artworks in the city have appeared here. Converting this industrial giant into a gallery was a stroke of genius, and the raw, soaring interior gives the art room to breathe.
The Collection
Inside you’ll find works by the titans of modern art — Picasso, Dalí, Warhol, Rothko, Matisse, and many more — alongside cutting-edge contemporary pieces from around the globe. The displays are arranged by theme rather than strict chronology, encouraging you to make unexpected connections. Don’t worry about “understanding” everything; the joy is in wandering, reacting, and lingering wherever something grabs you.
The Best Free View in London
Head up to the upper levels for one of the finest free views in the city. The terrace and viewing areas look straight across the Thames to St Paul’s Cathedral, with the slender Millennium Bridge — the pedestrian span linking the two — leading the eye across the water. It is a spectacular photo spot, and it costs nothing.
Visiting Tate Modern
The permanent collection is free, with charges only for major special exhibitions. The gallery sits right on the riverside walk, an easy stroll from the Globe theatre and Borough Market, and within sight of St Paul’s across the bridge. The nearest stations are Southwark, Blackfriars, and London Bridge. Late-opening evenings on weekends are a great, quieter time to visit.
Make a Day of the South Bank
Tate Modern is best enjoyed as part of a wander along the South Bank, one of London’s most enjoyable riverside walks. Combine it with a stroll past the Globe, a browse around Borough Market, and a crossing of the Millennium Bridge to St Paul’s, and you have a full, varied, and largely free day out — with world-class art right at its heart.
More London guides: browse the full London Travel Guides series for landmarks, museums, food, and nightlife.
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