Free? Open late on a Sunday? Love, love, love. Ostensibly went here to take a look, but we were thirsty and sidetracked upstairs to the beautiful cafe overlooking the Thames, then on the way down got sidetracked wandering through the very good gift shop and then you know..... read more

Modern Art, some surrealists, I am just not that into Modern art.

If you're looking for the best of modern, esoteric and what-the-fuck, you've got it all here under one roof (and three more floors are opening in June 2016). It's also priced extremely reasonably at a whopping FREE and there are often random musicians playing in the square on the river-side. If you're a modern art doyenne, put this on your list of must-contemplate. read more

Fantastic museum/gallery which is good at changing over its exhibitions and bringing new and challenging ones in. It's easy to get to and the green outside overlooking the Thames is fantastic for having a glass of wine afterwards with friends to discuss the exhibitions. read more

Dear Fellow Foreigners This museum, like most modern art museums, is not for everyone. I wanted to come here because I had recently studied art appreciation and wanted to put it to use. A lot of the ideas were put to good use on this visit. Meanwhile, my wife was bored out of her mind after 30 minutes. The works are diverse and intriguing. Three that stood out to me were those of Rebecca Horn, Mark Rothko and Paul Viola. The first was a series of items which were created as art in the form of wearable human "appendages": cones that extend high from the shoulders, a pencil mask, and a very peculiar bra. There was also a video of these appendages being worn. It was, for me, unsettling but hard to pull away from. The second was a dim room of 9 large paintings which the artist deemed unfit for their original commission (for use in a restaurant) so he forfeited millions of dollars in order to donate them to the museum to be put to proper use. The intention is to devote your full attention to a painting to see how it would affect you emotionally, and both my wife and myself were unexpectedly moved. The third was a pitch black room which shocks your senses. I won't spoil it here, but it chilled me to the bone. The display is called Tiny Deaths. In all, for a free museum, it is a great way to spend an afternoon. I think it further helped me to appreciate art and, if nothing else, exposes us all to creativity and culture in its highly various forms. read more

I am so very sorry but appart for the pop art section, the Tate is everything i despise in contemporary arts. It's basically a joke. My baby brother would do way better and we call that art ? There are limits to how much you can fool people. And as an art lover i didn't see much of that inside. You find more shopping areas than art and it is not well indicated. Appart from that, the view from the balcony is nice. I was happy to see some Lichenstein's and Wharol's work though. The museum is free but access to the most interesting parts like the Pop Art exhibition aren't. I might go back for that exhibition. read more

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Walking along the South Bank to the Tate was a treat in itself. The buskers add so much color to an otherwise grey city, as did the graffiti and skaters ripping it up in the mini skate park. When I finally made the pilgrimage to the Tate, it was as if I'd been given a prize deserving such praise! The building itself is a wonderful work of art. Amazing. Comprehensive and wonderful layout (with guides that are actually useful) take you around this jam-packed museum, chock full of goodness. The part I liked best however, was the patio outside the cafe overlooking the Thames and right at St. Paul's catherdral. It was very picturesque. A must do for visitors to London. read more

I love the Tate in all its different shades and have visited most of their branches repeatedly. The Tate Modern has created an amazing space in this old power station. Since its opening at the beginning of this century the Tate has tried to show and present contemporary art to the masses ... sometimes with great success, other time less so. Located on the River Thames its part of the Southbank and one has a stunning view of the Millennium Bridge and St. Paul's cathedral. If you go to the Café on the third floor you can get an even better view up and down the Thames. Next to the very nicely curated, but slightly outdated standing collection, the Tate comes up with some very decent special exhibitions. Currently they have a major Lichtenstein retrospective. In the past they were pulling in the crowds by showing Munch, Hirst and Gauguin. Admittingly the special exhibitions are costly, but I think they worth it ... all depending on if you like contemporary art. read more

I hate to judge a museum when it's undergoing renovations, but, unfortunately it might be several years (if ever) before I make it back to the Tate Modern. I do love that all the museums in London are free. And unlike the Reina Sofia in Madrid, this one seems to have more pieces that make me question why I like modern art. And really make my husband question why he agrees to go along with me on museum trips when he's not a museum person to begin with. It wasn't the most convenient museum to get to either. If you're in the St. James Cathedral/Westminster area, I would recommend crossing, I believe, the Millennium Bridge and hopping over to the Tate from there. I love museums to begin with so I will never say I don't like one, but I hope one day to make it back to the Tate Modern to see the new & improved 'version'. read more

I am a huge fan of modern art, and the Tate was a must see for me while I was here in London. It did not disappoint. The collection here spans such an interesting array of medium and style, time and artists. There really is something for everyone to appreciate. It helps that the walls read like an art history textbook, with all the artists you learned about in school. The multimedia tour was interesting, far better than a traditional audio tour. I could have spent forever in the shops, the books and goods were awesome. I took home an adorable diary. My favorite part by far was The Tanks section. Interesting and provocative multimedia work. The environment really suits the work. read more

The Tate Modern is a massive old building. The haunting that you get when you approach is part of the charm. I went on a very cold and rainy day and had to buy a $50 umbrella from the museum store (which broke later that day). Boy that sure rubbed me the WRONG way! They have a huge collection but the layout and vastness of the place didn't thrill me. Again, a ton of magnificent work, but the place didn't wow me. Perhaps I'll return when the weather is better. read more

Great art museum, especially the free exhibits. The whole building is very cool, I am really happy that I visited this place. The only unfortunate thing was the price of the exhibits that you needed to pay for, they are a little pricy. read more

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Already many people have ejaculated on the joys of the Tate Modern so I'll just quickly reiterate. As with all public museums in the UK, entrance is gloriously free. It houses arguably one of the finest collections of modern art in the world. The specially commisioned Unilever projects for the turbine hall are brilliant. Even when they are rubbish they are brilliant. Thousands of plastic white boxes, giant slides, a crack in the floor - all interactive, immediate, tangible works. The shop is excellent too, a great place for buying slightly quirky gifts. Views from the 7th floor are fantastic. read more

The Tate Modern is one of the highlights of London. Housed in a former power plant, its a multi-story modern arts museum on the banks of the Thames, connected to the opposite bank by the Millennium bridge. The ground floor houses a café, and last visit there was also a BBQ truck run by the museum. Best of all, free to enter. Visit if you want to browse a collection of modern art in a massive repurposed building. read more

For me its one of the best art museums in Europe and I have been to many of them. There are several floors with a permanent collection and ever changing exhibitions. Some other exhibitions that I have seen here are Roy Leichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Richard Hamilton... Its right on the Thames River so when you're done with the art, or even before, you can hang around out front and enjoy the river and people walking by. The millennium bridge (footbridge) is always there so easy to go across and check out St Pauls afterwards. read more

The Tate Modern is such a great place to come on a day out in London when you have a bit of time to kill, because it's free entry. Unfortunately, I don't understand the art inside so it is a bit wasted on me. There are some very strange art displays there which leave you rather puzzled. There's a cafe inside though and two balconys which look out over the River Thames which is a nice distraction from pure confusion! read more

Tate Modern - Such a great view, see despite the weird art - Art Museums Near Me - London, XGL

I'm generally not a modern art fan but there was one displayed of an oversized doll (larger than human size) held by chains that completely shocked me. Honestly, I didn't quite understand the full message, and am too embarrassed to even try, but it has stuck with me. It is across the millennial bridge, which is nice to walk before and after for pictures of the river. I didn't feel like this was an appropriate place for young children, but of course some people did bring their kids. Most of the displays required maturity and thought, which is why I found the children to be unsuitable and distracting. There is a nice gift shop as well with many unique things to purchase, a great place to find gifts for friends and family. read more

I loved the Global Cities exhibition. I wish I could afford that salt and pepper set! The collection also has a good survey of Surrealist work. The exhibits are always great. This is my favourite musuem in London. read more

This museum was astonishing and fabulous. My father had recommended it to me. My friend and I spent hours wandering it and never felt bored or tired. The exhibits were very vivid and diverse. read more

The Tate Modern is great! I love the huge space that they have for giant installation pieces. If you're into eating different things, they have a little restaurant or cafe on site. There are two gift shops. Oh, great selection of art! read more

The Tate Modern is a world class museum. Their collections are vast and of incredibly high quality. Admission is free, and the location is right on the Thames, which is very cool. read more

In the evening, on level 7, St. Paul's Cathedral is in accompany - the Modern encounters Classical - timeless! Despite many items I cannot make sense of, i much enjoy hanging around Tate Modern, a re-modernised bankside power station. I can sit inside the red cubes on each floor watching multi media for hours. Tate Modern often reminds me MoMA and Guggenheim in New York. This time around, the Pop Life tops the Whitney Museum of American Art. Andy Warhol's video interviews are addictive, even for someone bourgeois like me having minimal basis for pop culture. Takashi Murakami internationalises what we now called "pop." Kirsten Dunst's cast as Majokko is simply magic - the blue wig~~ I also like the way Tate organises the art work, by major themes not chronological order. Level 3, Poetry and Dream, Material Gestures, Level 5, Energy and Process, States of Flux with Level 1 (Turbine Hall) and Level 4 the major special exhibitions, like the Pop Life and Pure Beauty currently on. Depending on the mood, I wander back to the themed galleries, where my imagination flies :-) Museums are generally good for visits during holiday seasons in London, less crowded and windy. Come join me for a visit. read more

This is a fantastic museum, and I would highly recommend anyone interested in modern art to have a visit. There are so many interesting pieces of art to admire; I could easily spend several hours here perusing the galleries. One particular highlight for me was the wine bar located at the top of the museum. I believe it is for members only; however, I was fortunate enough to visit the museum with a dear friend that happens to be a member. The view from the wine bar's patio is absolutely breathtaking. There is nothing quite like an unobstructed view of the London skyline in the evening to make you appreciate where you are. Simply unforgettable. read more

Anything built within some large-scale industrial infrastructure, like... oh... a retired coal-fired power station, is just massively cool. They have art there, too. read more

I do enjoy the Tate Modern. I've been there a few times now, since I am a sucker for places with free admission and late closing times (open until 10 on Fridays and Saturdays!). The building looks perhaps a bit like a prison, but it's really quite cool inside. They've got a great collection and it's all neatly arranged. It isn't overwhelming despite the incredible number of pieces there (well, except that one Warhol room with the neon cow wallpaper...that one makes my head feel a bit funny). It's quite crowded, and I'm easily annoyed by crowds, so it's not an entirely enjoyable experience for me to go there. The rooms are also arranged a bit strangely and I don't yet have a good idea of the layout of the place, so I've ended up walking around in a circle a few times and I'm fairly sure I still haven't been in all of the rooms...though I can hardly fault the museum for my own lack of a sense of direction. read more

Honestly, I wasn't excited about Tate Modern because I've seen enough modern art in Vancouver and elsewhere. I was only a bit excited because Tate Modern is the world's largest modern art museum. Anything really special? I must say that I was quite amazed by Ai Weiwei's 100 million handpainted porcelain sunflowers seeds. They looked like the real thing. read more

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Proper Modern? Expanding Worthwhile Proximity to Millennium bridge excellent Stroll to Eye, Snack and reflect, Return when expansion complete. read more

Has some iconic art pieces such as the 'Weeping Woman' (1937) by Pablo Picasso and 'Marilyn Diptych' (1962) by Andy Warhol. Generally pretty good. read more

We all know it, we all love it. In any case, Tate Modern would be unfamiliar to anyone, it's an exhibition space dedicated to modern art.. There are permanent exhibitions totally worth seeing and seasonal ones as well. There are usually big names on the show. Overpriced merchandise downstairs, great selection of books and magazines thought... Restaurant that is not necessary worth visiting. VIP space I'd comment as: 'Pcheee' as it is probably the busiest spot in the whole building and you get a plastic fork to eat your dry boring cake.. read more

Aside from the London Eye, the Tate Modern pretty much towers over everything on the South Bank. It's located near the London Eye and Globe theater, so you should definitely try to hit up all three in one day. We were lucky to experience a rare sunny London day and a walk along the South Bank was a truly enjoyable experience. The lawn in front of the Tate Modern is a great place for a picnic or just to rest your feet. It's also located right in front of the Millennium Bridge. Admission is free and the exhibits are world-class; however it closes a little early around 5pm when we went. read more

I've come to the conclusion that I don't really like Tate Modern. Every time I go there for an exhibition I feel like I'm visiting an overbearing aunt-I smile and try to enjoy myself, but it just aint working. Sure, the exhibitions are some of the best, but here is my assessment for what it's worth. Building/Interior: If you like Stalinist Monumentalism then this is the place for you. The Turbine Hall is indeed impressive but it's oh so cold (not temp wise). It leaves me distinctly flat. Also, a lot of the layout is counterintuitive-when you arrive on the ground floor you're confronted by an escalator that you can't ride because it's all glassed in and speeds upwards with no stop at ground-what genius thought that up! The members room affords great views and has an outside area to die for. The ground floor cafe is quite nice also. Permanent collection: I'll be kind here and say the Tate's permanent collection is third rate. Essentially it's not anyway near in the same league as MOMA in New York-a smattering of minor Picassos and Matisse's etc. The only truly must-see works are the Rothko Seagram murals. Time will tell whether the extension will enable the Tate M to consolidate it's collection, but I really don't think anyone would go to Tate M to see the permanent collection. Sorry Sir Nicholas.... read more

Tate Modern - Turbine hall - Art Museums Near Me - London, XGL

Two great exhibitions at this always impressive gallery - Calders 'performing sculpture' - 1930's modernism, and 'The World Goes Pop'. Both inspiring. Especially the latter looking at Pop Art in its political and subversive forms during the social movements of the 60's and 70's and under the east European and South American dictatorships. A must see and worth making time for. read more

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This is a wonderful, free museum with ample air conditioning during those steamy, hot London days walking on Bankside. The free exhibits span 4+ floors and I believe two buildings worth. There is so much to see. London definitely has some good taste in modern and classical pieces. The Dali pieces were my favorite. Be aware though that the paid exhibits such as the Picasso was pretty expensive. This was fine due to the size of the free exhibits. Great location. Plenty of people; but it's a museum. I liked it. read more

The Tate is an asset to the London skyline, a brilliant tourist attraction and a great place to mooch around for a deceptively educational day. I love to come here by myself and while away an afternoon, which more than occasionally turns into an evening. The Tate Modern is located along the South Bank, about a 20 minute walk from Waterloo station. It is easily accessable by bus or tube. There is even a boat service which runs from the Tate Britain, a short way up The Thames. However, the walk is a very enjoyable way of getting there. The Tate Modern is constantly busy. Don't let this put you off, because there is always a bit of The Tate which won't be crammed with people - you just have to search for it. The main turbine hall is where groups seem to congregate, and usually the vast space of the ex power station has been put to good use and houses some of the larger exhibitions. On the ground floor is a large gift shop which has a full range of art books, posters and childrens gifts. The other floors make up ongoing exhibitions which are free, with themes such as Material Gestures, Poetry and Drama, and Idea and Object. These exhibitions are interspersed with temporary exhibitions which you need to pay for to get in. A ticket for an exhibition is usually £10.00. Currently there is a very popular exhibition by Rothko. Other times in Tate Modern's history, exhibitions have been shown by Warhol and an amazingly in-depth and detailed look at Frida Kahlo. This is a great place to bring little ones. The Tate caters extensively for children. There are workshops, and interactive programmes for them, and whenever I have been, I have seem happy families with engrossed kids. My personal tip - become a member. I brought myself a years membership which was £54.00. I think that this has been fantastic value because it entitles you to free entrance to all the paid exhibitions, which means that if you see 5 exhibitions in 1 day you have made your money back. It also gives you access to The Tate Members Room on the 5th floor - a fully stocked cafe with comfy sofas and two outdoor spaces - one at the back of the building where you cannot hear any noise from the city below, and a panoramic front balcony with views stretching over the city of London. read more

The Tate Modern is an amazing space for modern art. The best way to enter, is via the Turbine Hall, from the east, where you will walk down a huge ramp with the bookshop on your left hand side, and from which you can see almost the entire building. Both the bookshop and the smaller gift shop offer a great range of products, most of which are reasonably priced. Exhibitions in the Tate range from pedestrian to surreal, with the vastness of the space ensures that it is difficult to see everything in a single visit. Even if you are not a fan of modern art, this gallery is well worth a visit if only to experience the building. read more

This is one of my all time favourite art museums. I was able to see my favourite artist - Piet Mondrian - and a myriad of other well known artists intermingled with some of the up and coming stars. Its lovely that its free and you can spend an entire day looking at the displays which range from traditional modern to provocative. It is those in the latter category that pique my interest and the Tate Modern has a varied collection that really makes a trip here an event. read more

Free to visit....so how can one complain, really? The fact is that the Tate Modern is one of the best contemporary museums in the world. I find the re-appropriation of this old power station to be a highlight for tourists and locals alike. There is much to see here(like 4 or 5 floors of work to see), which includes nice views of the river from cafes and balconies. The Gerard Richter exhibition was brilliant. I really liked it, and have always liked his work but have never seen such a great retrospective. They have his squeegees, the photopaintings, more abstract work like the color charts and even some more representational work.....very cool all together. There is also a nice surrealist show put together with a lot of interesting work. I wish more cities offered museums for free....beware though of crowds and field trips, which may take away from viewing the work in some cases. I still never fail to pop in on a visit to the UK... read more

I do love the Tate Modern. Despite my love/hate relationship with modern art. The collection is housed in an old power station, so the building itself is a marvel. I can't help but think however, that there could be more efficient use of the power station floor which is currently just a vast, wide open space. Although perhaps that's so you can appreciate the building as a piece of art? Friggin' modern art... I've been on several occasions, most recently however for the Damien Hirst exhibit (which was fabulous) and just this weekend to see the Lichtenstein (who may very well be my favorite artist, especially after this weekend) exhibit. DO go see it. It's amazing and opened my eyes to his work outside the beloved comic-inspired stuff that everyone loves. The Tate also happens to have a very fantastic gift shop on the ground floor filled with prints, postcards, tchotchkes, and the best thing of all, original and fantastic children's books. The special exhibits can run a bit pricey (£15-20), but they are so awesome and if you don't want the splurge, it is worthwhile to visit for the free stuff too. read more

I generally am not a museum person. Art galleries are a little more tolerable and they definitely had a lot to look at at, but the weather was bad -- we were there during the bad patch of flooding. So instead of being a stimulating journey through a bunch of wonderful modern art, it was more of a fight to actually look at any of the art. Large groups of people yelling and talking so loudly that I can't hear my thoughts drove me a little nuts. If I had gone on a different day, I'm willing to bet that there would have been a lot more freedom to roam and have a thoughtful look at things. Also, extra point for the fabulous lookout bar on the top floor with an amazing view of the Thames and the city beyond. Even with the torrential rain, it was a relaxing spot to stop and reflect on the day. If you're going, try to avoid weekends and rainy days. I know... if it's sunny in London, why would you spend time indoors? Trust me. You will enjoy the Tate Modern a lot more if you have ample space to think and move. read more

I'm not very knowledgeable about museums or art, but I was fascinated by all the exhibitions I could go to and am itching to head back again when I have the time. The contrast between the exterior and interior design is so stark that is actually works. It's a cool space and the layout of the exhibits are well thought-out and seem very much about the work they're displaying. I didn't get a chance to play with the interactive parts of the museum because of the crowds, but I can't wait until the next time to try! If you're like me, someone who doesn't know much about these things, you will still probably enjoy some if not all of the Tate, so go and breathe in the wonderful creation of artists far and wide! read more