I found the Tate Modern to be quite strange and less than exciting, but will give it two stars simply due to its reputation. I think I may just not be that interested or understanding of modern art, but why a piece of paper with six squares drawn in pencil is hanging on the wall of what is supposedly the most influential museum of modern art in the world is beyond me. While there are a few interesting exhibits and pieces, most of the multi story, gigantic building full of craft left me with the same lackluster feeling that seeing a wet suit draped on a hanger causes. By the way, said wet suit was actually an exhibit..... read more

To truly enjoy a visit to the Tate Modern, one must reconcile oneself with what it IS, and not harp on everything it is not. It is not: the best and most comprehensive collection of modern art in the world, traditionally and immaculately curated. It is: a converted power station on the South Bank in a location that would not get much foot traffic were it not for the museum and Millenium Bridge. A beautiful architectural construction courtesy of the same genius that created SF's De Young and Beijing's National Stadium. An impressive, though not awe-inspiring, collection of modern art, curated thematically to disguise certain time period gaps when the Brits were artistic cheapskates. An internationally revered modern art institution with the ability to draw high-profile, successful exhibitions to humble London town. BONUS: it has a nice cafe. Don't be an art snob: go with it, and you'll have way more fun. read more

I picked up a word during my stay in London and it perfectly describes my experience here - FANTASTIC! The permanent collection is free to check out, but do spring for the special exhibitions or consider a donation because it's definitely worth whatever time you spend here. The permanent collection is exhibited thematically - you can get tours of each of the themed sections daily. When I visited, the Kusama exhibition was going on and it was absolutely fabulous. Pro tips: the balcony on the 4th floor cafe has a stunning view of St. Paul's Cathedral. Take the Tate to Tate boat ride to visit the Britain while you are in an artsy mood. read more

We came here for the Long Weekend and had a massive fun afternoon. The Bodyspacemotionthing exhibition was well organised, very h&s compliant and we had much fun reverting to our kiddie self. We then went to the slightly more "serious" Roni Horn exhibition upstairs and got into trouble because we stood too close to the glass installation after the "audience participation" experience. The tiny exhibition booklet was very informative and we had a great time exploring the ideas of the exhibition even though none of us heard of Roni Horn before Saturday. The afternoon was finished off in the Member's Bar- which has got stricter since my last visit- not sure if it is the fear of Bank Holiday mania, but they now don't budge on bringing "extra riff raft" into the bar (ie each member's card strictly allows 1 or 2 depending on the type you have). We had some crazy good British Cherry Beer and delicious roasted nuts outside on the terrace and tortally enjoyed the "privilege" of being there. Most of the beers/ pop looked incredibly interesting- including a "liberation" beer to tie in with an constructivism exhibition. Food is expensive and I have yet to properly try their offerings even though it looks good. All in all, a brill afternoon! read more

For being one of the most famous museums in the world, I found myself quite disappointed in both the works displayed and the museum in general. The building seems very large and pointless. The artwork hardly takes up any space at all in this vast cavern of a building; it's as big as an aircraft hangar, but with far less character. Many other great museums of the world incorporate artful architecture to compliment the works inside, for a more complete experience -- the Tate had none of this! I may not be the greatest fan of art and museums, but I've seen more than my fair share and I struggled to find the redeeming qualities of the Tate Modern... and my wife, who usually enjoys artwork and museums, liked the Tate even less than I did! but hey, at least it's FREE! read more

The best thing about the Tate Modern is that it is free to get in. That means you can pop in a quick browse and not be worried about getting value for money on an entrance fee. There is plenty to see with some amazing work dotted about the place although I find some of the modern art a bit hit and miss. The place is also full of a weird mix of people on dates and hipsters making for a great anthropological study. read more

The Tate Modern is without a doubt my favourite Art Gallery in London. To get there the nearest tube is Saint Pauls and from Saint Pauls Cathedral you can walk over the beautiful Millennium bridge which links to The Tate Modern. The Turbine Hall is huge and the exhibits that take place here use this space very well, one of the most memorable exhibitions to take place here were the massive slides by Carsten Holler which were fantastic and so much fun. The permanent collection includes works by Tracy Emin, Damien Hirst to name but a few My favourite is the Rothko room. The view from the restaurant and cafe is breath taking. I always finish my trip to the Tate with a browse around the bookshop on the ground floor! read more

Floors and floors of fabulous art! What more could a girl from the States, dreaming of art want? I'm an Art History major, so although the Tate Modern isn't exactly my cup of tea, I like the older stuff, but I did a fair bit of studying modern art and the Tate is a great, great, GREAT collection. From installations to paintings, Pollocks to Rothko, the Tate has it all. When I venture back to London in a few years I cannot wait to see what new exhibits will be on display then. You cannot do better than free admission either! I definitely recommend this as a stop on anyone's list. A Great rainy day activity, and those are plentiful in great London. And for the touristy types, it's only a stone's throw from a lot of other great activities/sights: Westminster, Parliament, the Millenium Bridge, the Aquarium, the Shakesperean theatre. read more

Wow, grand old buildings can be repurposed and put to fantastic use for all and sundry? They need not be left to crumble under their own weight? They need not be razed to make way for cheap, ugly condos? Please, sir, tell me more! If walking down the ramps of the Turbine Hall doesn't swell your heart then it's quite likely that you require immediate psychiatric attention. I was lucky enough to experience Olafur Eliasson's magnificent Weather Project here. Lying down on that large expanse of concrete with thousands of strangers from all over the world, all bathed in fog and orange light ... that really was something special. Very seldom have I seen such an imposing space utilised so well. Unfortunately, an overzealous relative was my tour guide for the day and I only managed to evade her for so long in the permeating fog. Far too soon, I was being dragged for fish-and-chips around Waterloo (not that I was crying all that hard when the food was served). Also plan a walk-by when it's dark outside. The hulking beast is transformed into a crowned prince when the band of windows at the top lights up. It's amazing what a couple of decades can do to a city. In the 80s, we'd be too busy being roughed up by scallies to comment on repurposed architecture. Gentrification can be good, how about that. read more

Even if you don't like Modern art, you should go! Summer is particularly lovely as you can grab a picnic from the museum restaurant and sit outside and eat plus wandering along the riverbank itself is great (with ice cream opportunities along the way). The museum itself is vast and usually has something for everyone. Entrance and most exhibit areas are free - occasionally there are exhibitions which require payment it these are entirely optional. The gift shop is particularly nice and varied and I've often picked up small gifts for friends and family there. read more

I *L*O*V*E*D this museum. I enjoyed everything about it, from the walk on the "wobbly bridge" leading to the Tate, to the chic "modern" cafe where I had a quick snack, and of course, the free admission. I could have easily spent 2 full days here. I was well into my 5th or 6th hour when I decided to try to sneak a photo at an exhibit called "Scale", which featured a gigantic table and chairs. Don't worry, Tate Modern police, I totally lost my nerve(and also got busted by a fellow patron from Singapore who gave me a disapproving look as I "examined" my camera for "dust".) After putting the camera up with no photo snapped, he realized I wasn't a criminal and decided to pal up with me and asked me to translate several exhibits for him into simpler English. BUT - since I LOVED the museum and all installations, it was no task at all - and a personal challenge to try to translate/explain the Warhols. :) read more

How do I love the Tate. Let me count the way. 1.free 2. the exhibits and collections have a great depth to them and really expose you to both familiar legends and lesser known artists. 3. While the building is amazing, it still lets the art be the star. So many museums built in the last 50 years seem more like architectural wonders where the art is overwhelmed by the building. 4. it's curated well, Other museums in London have almost an overwhelming abundance of art and it can be fun to lost in one of them and just wander around but the Tate is better if you only have 2-3 hours. 5. Turbine room. read more

This modern art is so fascinating, this particular museum speaks so much about the evolution of modern art infuse with your daily elements that you interact with. Visiting one of the best city in the world London! And combining with culture and art feeds your soul. Take your time and allow your self to be submerge with this awesome art works! read more

I loved this place. Never been to the NYC MoMA, but it definitely beats the hell out of the SF MoMA. It is apparently a notoriously difficult modern art museum, but I did not feel alienated in the slightest, even being a relative newcomer to modern and contemporary art. Everything I saw was absolutely fascinating. I even enjoyed the special Dali gallery, which is saying something for an avowed Dali-hater. And there's always something great in the Turbine Gallery. When I visited, there was an amazing installation exploring the state and nature of several major cities across the world, including truly amazing spatial representations of the relative urban density of each city. Having visited only some of the cities profiled, the density sculptures really put thing into perspective for me. It was incredible. read more

How amazing is it that all the museums in London are FREE? It is a true testament to how much the UK values cultural literacy/the arts. I visited Tate Modern at least twice a week during the year I spent in London. The building is an awesome converted power station bordering the Thames. The hugeness and power of the space make it the perfect venue for modern art. Moreover, the very unique Millennium Bridge - also a mastery of modern architecture - connects the Tate Modern to St. Paul's Cathedral, so if you're a tourist, it's an easy destination. Don't even let me get started on the exhibits at the Tate Modern. Just the Rothko room alone makes a visit here worthwhile. read more

I love everything about this place.There are always really interesting exhibitions....a lot of them is free. Plus the building is amazing. I love to visit Tate epsecially in the summer and have a picnic on the river site after an art-infused afternoon. read more

Possibly the largest waste of real estate in the hemisphere. Bitterly disappointed at the seeming miles of concrete and blank walls. All I could think of were the hundreds of artists who would love to take up some of this space to get exposure. We did draw on a giant piece of orange carpet. I claim that to be the most artistic thing we saw all day. Pass. read more

I don't know...maybe I was spoiled by the Pompidou in Paris but I just wasn't blown away by the Tate Modern. It was really crowded and the layout is a bit funky to navigate. My suggestion would be to check out the National Gallery for a better selection of works. read more

Yet another museum in London with free admission. This is a big building with a large modern art collection. Maybe I was tired after having been through many museums during my trip here, but I felt the contemporary art here was difficult to appreciate. I did enjoy some pieces by Anish Kapoor. The Warhol exhibit was ok. There were not lots of sitting spaces. read more

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I have to say, the last few times I've visited the Tate Modern I've been disappointed. Then again, I haven't exactly sprung for the big ticket exhibits; merely wandered through the free galleries. It might be my own bad timing as well, because I always seem to find myself here when they are in between setting up the Turbine Hall's latest installation. Back in early 2006, I saw the most amazing display in the Turbine Hall by Rachel Whiteread called "Embankment." Thousands of white boxes towering towards the ceiling. It was like a maze. They have a great collection here. I'll have to visit again soon and see if it can live up to expectations again. read more

The Tate Modern is a brilliant museum and has an excellent collection, but I'm a Renaissance Girl myself and not a fan of Modern Art, which is why I haven't rated this museum very high. My rating is a reflection on my taste and not on the museum. This museum is open late on Fridays and Saturdays (until 10pm) and I think that fits in well with the art that this museum displays and the kind of people that it attracts - People who enjoy modern art and only have time to visit museums after office hours on the weekend. It is a well curated museum and there is a lot of information on each artwork, but its not my cup of tea. So, this happens to be one of those museums that I've only visited once and that has been quite enough for me. read more

Worth the trek to the other side of London for a number of reasons: stellar modern art exhibits; brilliant views of London from the other side of the Thames; the museum shops and cafes; and the people-watching. When I go to this part of town, I usually stop by the Globe Theatre beforehand - walk over to the Tate - then walk back to the city center via the magnificent Millennium Bridge. As Wallace and Gromit would have it: a great day out (and good walkies, too). [Note: The original Tate is in a completely different location, across the river - so don't confuse the two.] read more

The Tate Modern is a top notch modern art museum. I have seen exhibits there that have literally knocked my socks off. It's a great meeting point, the gift shop is full of treasures, it's a great place to just wander through when you're bored, and it's free. The Unilever series in the Turbine Hall is always amazing and I always look forward to those installations. read more

My favourite space in the Tate Modern will always be the turbine hall. It is just a wonderful space no matter how good or how bad the exhibition is. The rest of the museum doesn't really astound me as much, however the spaces are nice, not too cramped and well designed for circulation. Unfortunately when I was here it was a Saturday and Saturdays = crowded. It wasn't the best walking around the gallery spaces with so many people however it was still enjoyable. The spaces are maintained well. Not so much the bathrooms, which are clearly not on the top of the maintenance spending. The maps are good and they ask for a 1GBP donation for them. Of course entrance is free to most of the museum, so I suggest if you are on the south bank that you at-least wander in and take a look. read more

Midweek, off-season touring of London's free museums always makes for a biased experience. But whatever I still would recommend it busy or no. I enjoy modern art when I have a translator. Someone who knows about the pieces and can explain to me more details behind the art. Otherwise I just zoom through these museums letting my eyes guide me to purty things I can stand and stare at for a while. And that makes my touring friends feel rushed. No bueno. SO pre museum preparations for maximum moderness: 1.) Look at the website for the free guided tour times that day. It's nice to have someone walk you through some of the wings explaining shtuff. OR 2.)Suck it up and pay the 3.50 for the interactive headphone things. You don't have to wait for a tour guide and the rest of the experience is free....if you don't walk past the gift shop...or the cafe...but the coffee smelled so good!! There were black, semi-cushy bench things in the front of the museum where we ate a packed lunch and just ended our experience people watching by the Thames. Good times. Good cheap times. (random disclaimer) Like Larissa G. says, they temperature control the shite outta that art. Some rooms are fine, some are freezing. Be prepared to do the sweater shuffle while perusing. read more

This is easily my most favorite museum in London. Nevermind the fact that it is a converted power plant, their exhibits are amazing. This is where I discovered the brilliance of Bruce Nauman, probably the only modern artist I find interesting. I would imagine that the installations that I first saw there are still there. He does a lot of multi media stuff but most of it is based in language. Anyway, one time while I was there, they had a retrospective of his work and turned the turbine, the main hall, essentially into an echo chamber. There are many more exhibits that stick in my mind, like the piano hanging from the ceiling or the installation that was meant to be a comment on Margaret Thatcher's administration. But over all, Tate Modern does a stunning job with picking it's exhibits. They never fail to impress. read more

I did not care for the groupings of the paintings but enjoyed the Rothko room very much. I also got very very hot. I think they need to work on the air conditioning and it was not a very hot day on our visit, I also thought there should be more areas to sit and contemplate the paintings much like you can in the Pompidou centre in Paris. I thought they have a great collection but prefer the paintings from the similar painter and period to be grouped together. read more

I hate to say it, particularly as I love Tate Britain, but aside from the sunbathed walk I took from Tower Bridge to the South Bank to get to the Modern, I haven't been so underwhelmed by a museum in years ! We knew the writing was on the wall when the first exhibit we laid our eyes on was two stuffed birds with arrows going through them ! An extreme form of super hardcore taxidermy maybe, but definitely not art! One orange net ceiling suspended stairwell, followed by what looked like giant balancing lego bricks in nickel, didn't do it for us either, or the series of primary colour blocks encased in frames. We weren't the only ones confused by this 'Art'. The energy in the building was just as bad as its hit and miss exhibits. It could have been the time of day we visited and the fact it was a super hot outside, but you know the enthusiasm you usually see between visitors while moving around the chambers of art;well it was missing. I actually saw someone cat napping on one of the balcony leather sofas....I nearly joined them ! The only real bright spot was a war installation, linking vox pops from people talking about their war experiences and then connecting it back totheir their daily lives, represented by items like a child's exercise book, identity papers, photographs and even a retro Sony Walkman. It was an intelligent, thoughtful take on the horrors of war, but I couldn't help thinking it would have better served by being part of somewhere like the Imperial War Museum. Maybe I had unreasonably high expectations or maybe this kind of modern art just isn't for me. If you still want to visit the Tate Modern, the good news is that entry is free except for major exhibitions. read more

Based on the ratings of previous reviewers, I am in the minority but I feel compelled to provide my feedback nonetheless. It's listed in several "must see " lists so my wife and I had high expectations- particularly after seeing many other amazing British museums during our 11 day stay. Although we knew it was modern art and admittedly it's not our favorite genre of art, we were very disappointed in the odd collection of works displayed during our visit. To put it simply: we didn't get it at all. Room after room, piece after piece, we just stood there scratching our heads. We rushed through all the exhibits and left straight away. Sadly, even the building itself was rather boring. All in all, it was a complete waste of time for us. At least the location near the Thames is an agreeable place to take a walk... read more

It's mostly FREE. The featured exhibits [Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance, and the Camera--28 May to 3 October 2010 & Francis Alys: A Story of Deception--15 June to 5 September 2010] will cost you ten pounds. The permanent collection is rather exciting. There is a wonderful installation art piece by Marisa Merz. Thought provokng photographs by Bruce Davidson. And a disturbingly erotic and violent piece by Francis Bacon. There is a river boat that will take you from Tate Modern to Tate Britain for 3.35 pounds if you have an Oyster Card. read more

Another great British gallery only in London will you see great places to visit

Love it. I am a big fan of free museums. You need several hours to make a tiny dent in the exhibits. You could spend an entire day here.

As far as modern art museums go...this is a distant second to the MoMa in NYC. However, It is a solid second place in my book...and head and shoulders above numerous "world class" modern art museums. The layout is very patron friendly with ample amounts of room to meander around. I was lucky enough to go on a weekday in March so they crowd was very sparse. However, I've heard on busy days there are throngs of people here. The main exhibits covered the spectrum of modern art very well. Everything is informative and the program understandable. You can see a well defined spectrum of the evolution of certain styles. The Rothko rooms are my favorite. It pretty much is a must see. read more

If I were to be reviewing the building and the gift shop this place would fall in the 4/5 star category and it's highly likely that most people who visit this museum only remember or want to see the building and gift shop and therein lies the reason why the rest of it only gets 2 stars. The Tate Britain, National Portrait Gallery, National Gallery, White Cube Gallery all of these are excellent art museums with fantastic art. They attract rather boring people who want to look at art. People like me. The Tate Modern is like the parallel of Chuck E. Cheese in art galleries. As soon as you walk through the door you notice that most people here have been guided here by the free guidebooks they got when they booked their trip. Whilst I think as many people as possible should see art I don't think the Tate Modern is in any way a good introduction to the art world and I think that's reflected in the fact that the average visitor seems totally dis-interested. The art here is often cryptic, weird and with that kind of hidden message mentality I find quite irritating in Modern Art. If you can push through the crowds to see some of the famous works here they are quite impressive but most of it is just baffling. Nothing compared to the beauty of the work in it's sister gallery on Millbank. That's not to say there's no merit to the Tate Modern. It's worth one visit just to see the enormous turbine hall and the doubt-less impressive work contained within it. It's worth seeing the famous works and having a trot around, probably much better when it's quiet in the evenings. The gift shop is certainly worthy of a browse. I'm not saying don't visit I'm just saying don't expect to be entertained for a whole day without being irritated. Oh also, I do owe them kudos for putting on an Arshile Gorky exhibition. I think the Tate Modern and Gorky have a lot in common. The more mundane elements of Gorky's work are, in my opinion, the most impressive just as the more mundane elements of the Tate Modern are the most well thought out. read more

My friend and I were visiting London and some locals told us we HAD to visit the Tate Modern. We took the wrong train and basically got pretty lost some industrial area of London. With about 30 minutes to spare, we got to the right stop and had to run for our lives to get to the museum before it closed. Completely out of breath, the very first exhibit we saw was a TOILET. Yes, a white toilet, not painted nor manipulated in any way. Out of complete and utter exasperation, we could not stop laughing! From room to room, there were other pretty interesting modern art, one was a wall that was painted bright red, and another was a video of a naked man jumping. I love art but I'm the first to say I don't understand some modern art. But it certainly entertained us and provoked a lot of emotions and conversation, which is the ultimate goal of art anyway. It's been years and I can still tell you what I saw in the Tate Modern, so that has to say something! read more

I like the way it has a lot of open spaces and places to gather. The cafe has so many yummy options and cute service with a smile. Like the rest of London, the museum is free. Europe gets this free art thing so right. If only America would follow suit. Great gift shop, fantastic for gifts to bring home from your visit. Then there's the art. Cool! read more

This is by far the most amazing and beautiful art space I have ever been to. The Tate Modern is a great museum to take a stroll through, sit and look at Mark Roths, sit in the cafe and watch boats go by on the Thames, and the art exhibitions are mind blowing. Their ever changing installations keep you coming back. I really love this place :) read more

This is where I am inspired, brought to tears and laughter. The special exhibits are out of this world. "This is a photo opportunity" read more

Let me preface my review with this statement. My sophistication of art is at a Fisher Price level. Now with that being said, on to the review. Modern art mmmmm.... Is this art or did the hvac guy not finish the job, see photo. The next exhibit, some fluorescent lights slapped on the wall in different configurations, see photo of one example. Really?!?! A dirty sock display that looked like a guy just ate a bowl of colon blow, and shit himself right to the ceiling ! Ok a little harsh, there was some art you could see the talent,time, and artistic ability. The exhibit was free for the most part, but you could pay 11 pounds to get into other areas, I'm guessing if your like me, it would be a waste of money to go see more potential shit! Beware!!! On the bright side, go to the top floor, no crappy art, thank god! They have a nice restaurant, and bar area that over looks London and the Thames river.Get yourself a drink or dinner and gaze at London, now that was fantastic! Cheers! read more

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Let's take a moments of silence to appreciate just how amazingly great and wonderful Tate Modern is. [...] This is turning into one of my favourite spots in London. I love it. Love love love it - everything from the building to the permanent exhibitions and - last but certainly not least - the temporary exhibitions. I've seen some truly amazing things here, recently Lichtenstein (but truth being told that I also saw this 3 times already in Washington D.C.) and - AND - Ellen Gallagher. O.M.G. - - sensational .. It doesn't really matter if you are a turist, a local or somewhere in between. Tate Modern offers something for everyone. ... I really ought to make a priority to visit other museums.. On second thought; nah! :-D read more