Tate Modern

The initiative to establish a new Tate Gallery of Modern Art was officially announced in 1992, prompting a search for an appropriate site that began the following year. After considering various locations such as the south side of Vauxhall Bridge and sites in Docklands, the Bankside Power Station was selected as the site on April 28. The gallery was formally named Tate Modern in October, and it opened its doors to the public on May 11, 2000.

The opening was celebrated with a major event featuring the first Turbine Hall commission, marking the beginning of a new era for modern art in the UK.

The museum is housed in the former Bankside Power Station, a decommissioned coal-fired power station designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and opened in 1962. The conversion was undertaken by the Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron, who won an international competition for the project. The architects preserved the cavernous main Turbine Hall, retaining the overhead travelling crane, and added a two-story glass extension on the roof.

In 2016, a significant expansion known as the Switch House (later renamed the Blavatnik Building) was opened, adding 60 percent more display space and featuring a distinctive brick-lattice façade.

Unlike traditional chronological arrangements, the Tate Modern's collection displays are organized thematically and transhistorically, a curatorial innovation introduced at its opening. The collection spans international modern and contemporary art from 1900 to the present, including painting, sculpture, photography, video, film, installation, and performance art. The main collection areas are located on levels 2, 3, and 4 of the original building and levels 0, 2, 3, and 4 of the Blavatnik Building.

The museum offers free admission to these permanent collection displays, which are rehung periodically to reflect new themes and perspectives.

The museum is renowned for its Turbine Hall commissions, a series of large-scale installations by leading artists such as Anish Kapoor, Olafur Eliasson, and Ai Weiwei, originally sponsored by Unilever and later by Hyundai. Notable permanent collection highlights include a replica of Marcel Duchamp's 'Fountain' and works by artists like Zanele Muholi and Cecilia Vicuña. The Tanks, converted from the power station's original underground oil tanks, are used for live performance and time-based art, hosting events by groups like the Merce Cunningham Dance Company and the Musée de la Danse.

Tate Modern has had a profound impact on the cultural landscape of London and the global art world, attracting over 5.25 million visitors in its first year alone, significantly more than the three existing Tate galleries combined. Its success spurred the regeneration of the South Bank area and established the model for converting industrial heritage sites into major cultural venues. The museum continues to be a leading institution for contemporary art, hosting major temporary exhibitions and maintaining a dynamic program of public events, solidifying its status as a cornerstone of the UK's national cultural identity.