TATE BRITAIN: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Tate Britain
Tate Britain
4.5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
The home of British art from 1500 to the present day. Tate Britain holds the largest collection of British art in the world. Walk through the history of British art from 1500 to the present day. See masterpieces by J.M.W. Turner, William Hogarth, John Everett Millais, as well as outstanding modern and contemporary art from Francis Bacon, Barbara Hepworth, David Hockney and Bridget Riley – to name a few. Tate Britain showcases cutting edge British art through its temporary exhibitions and annual art commission.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.

Top ways to experience Tate Britain and nearby attractions

The area
Address
Neighbourhood: Pimlico
Time spent in Pimlico is a slower-paced affair than most other Central London neighbourhoods. This largely residential area orderly arranged beside the Thames, is a treasure trove of quaint pubs, subtle architectural charms and local boutiques. Here, art lovers thrill at the chance to visit the world class Tate Britain gallery for its collection of British art from the 1500s to the present. For peace and quiet and some downtime spent along the Thames, Pimlico is highly recommended.
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • island04575
    Boothbay Harbor, Maine128 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    the Turners...
    The Turners are just quintessential Britain and I went there just for them. I was not disappointed and this is one of the great must see's for London. The room with the unfinished Turners and their color palette that contained one work of comparable color by Mark Rothko was one of the most informative experiences in a museum ever. The transition and influence was clear. Bravo to this curator.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 8 April 2023
  • Yolande C
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Delightful
    We loved the building's elegance, wonderful art with easy to read explanatory notes. Absolutely enjoyed the 19 rooms over the decades! Staff in general were so courteous and helpful, two spanish speaking guys at the cloakroom were so delightful. All in all worth visiting. Just a small criticism about the toilets, they could do with an upgrade.
    Visited April 2023
    Written 10 April 2023
  • Grover R
    Pensacola, Florida18,062 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great Art Museum with Many Known Pieces
    We had a one day on our England trip that we all got to separate to do something you wanted that the rest of the group did not. I visited the Tate Madern and Tate Britain. The period and art was more of my thought of art than the Modern. I will say the entrance hall has an interesting parade exhibit that seemed more Modern than Britain but I enjoyed it. There were several paintings that I had seen in books and other places. I enjoyed the museum and was glad I made the visit.
    Visited December 2022
    Travelled solo
    Written 24 May 2023
  • richardmay2016
    Perth, Australia20 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fabulous way to spend an afternoon.
    We had a couple of hours to kill on a rainy afternoon in London and by accident bumped into this marvellous art gallery. Free to the public and there were quite a few people there, but not enough to make it feel crowded. Just loved going through the 15 rooms (only part of the overall displays) which contained art from the 1500s to today. What an absolutely fascinating way to view artistic styles and tastes and how they changed over the centuries. Can’t say enough positive things about this, what a fabulous way to learn about art, appreciate art and find out a little something about British history and life across the ages. Will recommend this to anyone as a must do when visiting London.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 July 2023
  • Jannerbloke
    Plymouth, United Kingdom12,650 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Good link but poorly organised.
    Spent about 3 hours each on a July weekday at Tate Britain and then Tate Modern. As a member eventually discovered the ferry times and the £7.50 fare. Had been keen to use the water link after seeing the older boat several years ago when it was painted in Tate livery with Damian Hirst coloured spots on the white saloon roof. But now it’s just the regular Clipper boats and the Millbank to Bankside is a slice of its regular run from I think from Richmond to Greenwich. Times were the same. But the fares were all to pot. When I got on they new nothing of the Tate fare and the best deal for me was ‘half price with a travel card’ which turned out to be just over a fiver. But it was a good trip, interesting views from the river, a bit busy but a convenient trip between the Tates neither of which are on a convenient bus link and both are a stiff walk from their respective tube stations at Pimlico and Southwark.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 1 August 2023
  • Est
    Skipton, United Kingdom71 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic
    My daughter wanted to see the Rosetti exhibition. We booked our tickets online before we went. The exhibition was lovely with both poetry and art. Being able to listen to the poetry being read (by standing on sound buttons) whilst looking at artwork was a fabulous experience. My daughter spent 1and 3/4 hours in the exhibition and was so happy when she had finished. She bought a beautiful poetry book and art book as memorabilia of a truly amazing experience that she won’t ever forget. We visited the rest of the museum as well and thoroughly enjoy the whole experience.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 2 August 2023
  • stevlee78
    Eastleigh, United Kingdom975 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A classic gallery of art
    If you like art, it’s a really important place to visit, free to enter, very large building and has lots of paintings to view. It’s not the most exciting thing to do in London but if you have a vested interest in artists and paintings then it’s a must do. The gallery itself was also clean and welcoming, the staff friendly and we spent an hour here walking around and seeing some absolute masterpieces (and some we didn’t understand but that’s art)
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 29 August 2023
  • Gayle Y
    Melbourne, Australia55 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Highly recommend
    The Tate Britain is an easy stroll along the riverbank from Parliament house. It has a beautiful entrance which continues inside. This magnificent building holds modern works of art, as well as traditional. I arrived just after opening, and found there were more staff than visitors, which made for a very pleasant experience for almost 3 hours. There are artworks that will challenge you, amuse you and frankly puzzle you however, for the almost 3 hours I was there, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Free to enter.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 7 September 2023
  • Rowan W
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    What a great collection!
    Went to see the Rossetti exhibit and it was fantastic. What a fun experience, with tons to see and well curated pieces. This museum also felt far less crowded and more calming, which added to the experience. Would definitely come back.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 24 September 2023
  • brmusicman
    Chicago, Illinois3,211 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great galleries
    A lovely museum with free entry. The Tate, housed in a gorgeous building, is simple to navigate, with the art arranged in roughly chronological order. I appreciated this, versus a more complex but confusing attempt at narration. I spent most of my visit in the galleries with art from 1920 onward. There are some recognizable works (e.g., Hockney) as well as several artists new to me. There was a nice mix of painting, sculpture, and multimedia. Much like its sister institution, the Tate Modern, the Tate Britain has some of the best descriptions of the art that I have encountered at a museum. They are informative and scholarly without being esoteric. I also appreciate that nearly every work is described, rather than just a few. Access is easy via Victoria or Pimlico tube stations; it's a pleasant little neighborhood to explore before or after your visit. Lovely and recommended.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 25 September 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles4,129 reviews
Excellent
2,547
Very good
1,179
Average
287
Poor
83
Terrible
33

Lucy F
Brighton, UK58 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Solo
First class. Extensive and educational . Portraits identical to contemporary photographs - extraordinary! Gorgeous gowns on display reproduced on canvas. Truly remarkable
Written 13 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sheepygold
london5,598 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
We haven't been for a few years and wandered around a few of the rooms for an hour or so. We came on a Sunday so it was busy but not uncomfortably so. The cafe was a bit disappointing with very little left to eat at about 1.30.
Written 11 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rob
London, UK374 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Friends
A few bad pieces, mostly abstract but a lot less than Tate and very few really. A few paintings are a bit similar in certain rooms which can get a bit boring at times but they are very good still. It also had some amazing paintings which I loved and really made coming here enjoyable.
Written 2 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jannerbloke
Plymouth, UK12,650 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Friends
Usually going for the exhibitions it makes a change to look instead at a variety of the classic British stuff from the eighteenth and nineteenth century in the permanent collections and find an eclectic mix.
Written 18 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

pab
Peak District National Park, UK230 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Couples
Very friendly security guards who were very helpful and pointed us in the right direction 👍 to see various artwork.
I enjoyed the visit especially the Turner works.
Too much to take in on one visit so will have to return.
Written 15 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anne0319
Kingsbridge, UK191 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • Family
I spend a great couple of hours here viewing the exhibits and was particularly happy to see such a fantastic Turner collection; which was the highlight of my visit. For me, it was great to see so many Turner pieces and it was also really useful having the little blurbs explaining each one. Personally, I didn’t go much on a lot of the contemporary art, it would have been nice if there was even more artwork for the Turner era, rather than such a large modern and contemporary collection.
Written 11 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marion F
New York City, NY271 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Solo
Plan to spend at least half the day here,
Wonderfully laid out and huge you really need 3-4 hours to really see everything and thats just for the free collection, there are also ticketed locations.
The location is a bit hard to get to, but just a 10 minute bus ride to/from trafalgar square its worth it.
Written 28 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

scollis41
Nottinghamshire, UK32 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Couples
Women in Revolt exhibition is an inspiring collection of art and activism charting the rise of the Women’s Liberation movement- great job Tate Britain. First time visit to this amazing gallery. Much bigger than I expected so only time to see one exhibition so give yourself at least 3hrs to make a dent in its content! Really accessible place especially good if you have kids or are disabled or require assistance. Will go again.
Written 23 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Steve Wilson
Aylesbury Vale, UK12 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Friends
Good selection of traditional art but seemed to give over huge areas to modern art with limited appeal (on the basis theres the Tate modern for that)
Main surprise and disappointment was the coffee shop - frankly it was filthy - most of teh chairs had old spillages on them which had not been cleaned off in ages - Tables almost as bad. I get that the furniture might be old but worn and dirty are different things.
Written 15 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lou1232013
somerset476 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
On a limb away from the other museum areas of London, it is worth a visit for the Turners and Moore collection. Not sure about some of the modern art that looks to be taking over and seems quite political. Let art speak for itself! Otherwise a good visit for a couple of hours.
Written 5 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 3,191
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

TATE BRITAIN: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Tate Britain



Restaurants near Tate Britain: View all restaurants near Tate Britain on Tripadvisor


© 2024 Tripadvisor LLC All rights reserved.

This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in United Kingdom. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu.