If you have more than a day to spare (Tate Modern in general)

Member Name: baywatch_fan2002

Product:	Tate Modern in general
Date:	08/01/03 (103 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: loads to see, nice view, great exhibitions, free to get in

Disadvantages: expensive shop and cafe

Bankside power station (designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1963, which closed in 1981 due to the increase in oil prices), was converted in to Tate Modern - a national museum of modern art, by 2 swiss arcitects - Pierre de meuron and Jacques Herzog. Tate Modern was built there in the late 1980's because the place where it originally was (Millbank), was not big enough to house the huge increase in modern art.

Tate Modern is in the heart of London and is linked to St Pauls Cathedral by the Millennium footbridge. The building consists of a brick-clad steel structure, constructed from more than 4 million bricks. The height of the central chimney (the part that stands tall, so you can't get lost when finding the building) was made lower than St Pauls Cathedral dome. To this day, the chimney stands at an amazing 325 feet.

Along the length of the roof, which is a noticeable change to the old power station, is a 2 storey glass structure or lightbeam. This was built so it would provide natural light in to the top rooms and built up the top is a stunning cafe which provides outstanding views across London.

Tate Modern has a total internal floor area of 34,5000 square metres. Included in the building are the following:

6 escalators
9 lifts (of which only 4 are for public use)
2 cafes
3 shops
support services / handling area
offices
members room
seated auditorium
a special exhibition suite
hall where works of art are shown
gallery suites for displays and exhibitions

Admission to Tate Modern is free, though donations are needed to support the gallerys work. You can also support the work by visiting the shops, cafes or joining Tate members.

Tate Modern is open at the following times:

Sunday - Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday and Saturday 10am - 10pm
It is closed 24th,25th and 26th of December

Tate Modern is well signposted and accessible by lots of means
of travel, including:

The Jubilee and district and circle underground lines
Bus
Train
Ferry
Taxi
Car
Walking
Coach
Biking

Within the building there is great access for wheelchair users. Guide dogs are welcome. There are parking and wheelchair facilities on request, tickets for special exhibitions, lots of seating areas, card and cash pay phones, toilets and cloakrooms and lifts. There is also a baby care room and a map of the gallery is avaliable. You must not take photographs within the gallery though.

This is a list of the different display themes that Tate Modern operates (they are all free to watch)

The upright figure
History/memory/society
Nude/action/body
Still life/object/real life
Concourses
Landscape/matter/environment

Tate Modern is great to visit, if you are interested in Art or are taking an Art course at school, college or university as there are lots to look in and there is alot of information from books in the shops to descriptions of each art piece.

When you walk in to the building, it is absoulutely huge. You have to walk down this sloping room (what used to be known as Turbine Hall) and it is one of the biggest rooms I have ever seen. There are many floors with access by stairs, lifts and escalators. There is a huge expensive shop by the side selling stuff such as postcards and very expensive art books. You will be in heaven if you love art.

There are all different types of art exhibitions in the building including 3 different sculptures in the main entrance. There are so many to see, that it would take more than 1 day to see the whole lot. You are entertained with everything from paintings to sculptures to film etc and any special exhibitions that are going on the day you visit, but for an extra charge. Each piece is well displayed for everyone to see. The exhibitions are well spaced out in each gallery, so they wont get too overcrowd
ed. There is a wide range of art to suit all tastes and ages. You can't touch the exhibitons though as some are very fragile. You will see pieces from Andy Warhol, Picasso, Matriesse, Pollock and Mondrian to name a few.

You have to watch out for the cafes and shops at Tate Modern as the food and drink is very very expensive. Also the cafe staff aren't very nice. When i went to Tate Modern, they were building something near the entrance and it was very very busy. I saw lots of good pieces of art. There is art from loads of different people so you are spoilt for choice.

I think if you are not interested in any means of art, then you would not like Tate Modern, but if you love art then you wont be disappointed - you will be in heaven.

I would definetly like to come back and visit this if I ever get the chance to.

Summary: