Tate Modern

Parking spaces for disabled visitors to Tate Modern

There are twelve parking spaces for disabled visitors to Tate Modern, located on south side of the building, accessed via Park Street at the eastern end of the building. These spaces must be booked ahead.

To book:

• Email ticketing@tate.org.uk (please note your name, contact details, date and time of visit are required to make the booking)
• Call +44 (0)20 7887 8888 (daily 09.45–18.00)

Once you have parked, please enter via the Switch House entrance across the level terrace, approximately 30 – 65 meters from the parking spaces. This entrance offers two lifts on the right as you enter, which go to level 0.

If you have booked a scooter, wheelchair, or walker, these can also be collected from the Switch House entrance.

Drop off points
A drop off / pick up point is situated on Holland Street, near the Main entrance.

• Download the entrances map [PDF, 920 Kb]

Ten wheelchairs and two electric scooters are available at the gallery. To reserve one, please book at least 24 hours in advance. You must have driven a mobility scooter before if you would like to use one at Tate Modern.
To book:
• Email ticketing@tate.org.uk (please note your name, contact details, date and time of visit are required to make the booking)
• Call +44 (0)20 7887 8888 (daily 09.45–18.00)

Admission to Tate Modern is free, but there is a charge for special exhibitions.

Visitors with a disability pay a concessionary rate, and a companion/carers entrance is free. Details are available on each special exhibition page.

Guide and hearing dogs

We welcome guide dogs and hearing dogs in the gallery. A drinking bowl is available at the cloakroom on level 1 – just ask a member of staff.

Large print captions and exhibition guides

Large print captions are available at all special exhibitions at Tate Modern. Please ask at the Information desk.

Audioguide 

The Tate Modern audioguide talks you through a selection of the most iconic works in the collection displays, including international paintings and sculptures spanning a century.

• Each work is thoroughly described as the narrator draws your attention to each feature of the painting, sculpture or installation
• Description is followed by information about the artist and the context in which the work was made
• The tour allows you to choose your own route through the gallery and explore the collection independently

You can pick up the audioguide from the Multimedia desk on level 1 and level 2.

Audio described tours

Audio described tours at Tate Modern guide visually impaired visitors through the ideas, materials and techniques of art since 1900.

Visual description

Find out whether an event at Tate Modern has visual description in the What’s on pages.
Supported by the Lord Leonard and Lady Estelle Wolfson Foundation

Hearing loops

The following areas of Tate Modern are fitted with a hearing loop:

• Information desks
• Auditorium
• Hearing loops are also available on most gallery tours

Find out whether an event at Tate Modern has a hearing loop in the What’s on pages.

BSL talks

• A range of gallery talks, tours and events at Tate Modern are organised in or interpreted into BSL

Find out whether an event at Tate Modern offers BSL interpretation in the Events at Tate Modern in the What’s on pages.

Signing Art training programme

Signing Art was a training programme for Deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users interested in developing the skills needed to become gallery guides. The programme included sessions on; research skills for art, professionalism, and how to best present to a Deaf audience in a gallery setting. These three sessions have been replicated as videos here in BSL or with BSL translation throughout as a reference for those interested in learning more.
Signing Art is supported by the Skills Funding Agency

• Signing Art video 1: Serena Cant on research skills
• Signing Art video 2: Signing Art: John Wilson on how to present to a Deaf audience
• Signing Art video 3: Marcus Dickey Horley on professionalism in museums and galleries

Signing Art Project In a Box: A guide on how to implement your own training programme

British Sign Language Lipspeaking tours [PDF document, 1MB]
Signing Art Project in a Box [PDF document, 140KB]
Signing Art Project: Lesson plans [PDF document, 112KB]

Supported by the Lord Leonard and Lady Estelle Wolfson Foundation

Tate Modern offers events and workshops for a wide range of community groups. Attendees currently include mental health service users, homeless people, adults with learning difficulties and ESOL refugee groups.

Touch tours at Tate Modern introduce visually impaired visitors to the thematic arrangement of the displays. The tours engage with the ideas, materials and techniques of modern and contemporary art.

Tours typically include a sculpture that can be explored through direct handling, and a number of other two and three-dimensional works which are explored using a combination of raised images, handling objects, description and discussion.

There are four tours to choose from. Each one is based in a single suite of Tate Modern. The content of the tours changes as the displays change; the following descriptions are a guide to what you can expect from each tour.

Deafblind tours

We can now offer bespoke touch tours to deafblind visitors.

Book a touch tour

Tours can be given at any time during normal gallery opening hours
We ask that visitors book at least a week in advance, although it may be possible to arrange tours at shorter notice

To book call +44 (0)20 7401 5113
To discuss arrangements for a tour call +44 (0)20 7401 5114

Tate Audio is sponsored by Bloomberg
The Clore Information Room is supported by the Clore Duffield Foundation

Information desks

Information desks are located near the River entrance, in the Turbine Hall and in the Clore Welcome Room on Level 0. Staff are happy to help with any questions you have.

Toilets

Fully accessible toilets are located on every floor.
On level 0 there is also a Changing Places toilet, which offers:

• Plenty of room for carers
• Full room coverage electric hoist equipment
• Height adjustable changing bench
• Paper roll
• Height adjustable wash hand basin
• Non-slip floor
• Privacy screen
• Seating

 Baby changing facilities

The Baby Care Room is found on level 0. Additional nappy-changing facilities are available in the toilets on each floor.

Lifts

There are four lifts in the Boiler House part of the building and eight in the Switch House, situated by the main stairs on each floor. There are also two lifts between levels 0 and 1 linking Switch House entrance and the Tickets and Information desks in the Turbine Hall.

Cloakroom

The cloakroom is on level 0.

• You may be requested to leave briefcases, bags, sticks or umbrellas in the cloakroom.
• Large bags and rucksacks must be placed in the cloakroom.
• Buggies can also be stored there, subject to space availability.

There are plenty of self service lockers in the Tanks lobby on Level 0. 

Seating

• Stools are available in the galleries. They can be picked up from the concourses on levels 2, 3 and 4. Just ask a member of staff or at the Information desks if you would like to use them.
• Benches can be found in a number of Tate Modern galleries.
• Additional seating is provided in the Turbine Hall and concourses.

Restaurant, Café and Espresso Bar

• The Kitchen and Bar on level 6, Boiler House and the Restaurant on level 9, Switch House has waiter service.
• Café on level 1, Boiler House, Bar on level 1, Switch House and the Espresso Bars on level 2, Switch House and on level 3, Boiler House are all self-service but staff are happy to help if you need assistance.

Tate Modern shops

There are four shops at Tate Modern:

• the Terrace shop on level 1, Switch House
• the Turbine Hall shop on level 0, Boiler House
• the River Shop on level 1, Boiler House
• the Exhibition Shop on level 3, Boiler House

Telephones

Card and cash pay phones are situated on levels 0 and 1, under the staircase.

Water fountains

There are water fountains on levels 0, 2, 3 and 4.

Email ticketing@tate.org.uk
Call +44 (0)20 7887 8888 (daily, 09.45–18.00)

Out of hours emergencies only Control Room +44 (0) 20 7401 5101