Tate Modern

Tate Modern occupies the former Bankside Power Station on the south bank of the Thames at Bankside in London, England. Designed by Giles Gilbert Scott and converted by the architects Herzog & de Meuron, it opened in 2000 and is now one of the most visited art museums in the world. Visitors enter through the vast Turbine Hall, where large commissioned installations are shown each year. The permanent collection of international modern and contemporary art is free and displayed in the Boiler House and the Switch House, now called the Blavatnik Building, on themes rather than strict chronology. Works include pieces by Picasso, Dalí, Warhol, Rothko, Hockney and Louise Bourgeois, and the Rothko Seagram murals are shown in a dedicated room. Paid special exhibitions run in separate galleries and often require advance booking. The Blavatnik Building has a free viewing level on the tenth floor that looks over St Paul's Cathedral, the City skyline and the Thames, and is one of the best free views in London. A visit typically lasts two to three hours, though art enthusiasts can easily spend longer. Photography is generally allowed in the free displays for personal use, but not in some special exhibitions. The most photogenic exterior angles are from the Millennium Bridge, which leads directly to St Paul's Cathedral, and from the riverside path outside the former turbine hall. The museum is open late on Friday and Saturday evenings, and these times are often quieter than weekend afternoons. Crowds are heaviest at weekends and during school holidays, especially around midday, while weekday mornings are calmer. Cafes and a restaurant on the upper floors serve food with views.