Tate Britain visual story

What you need to know

Free entry

Tate Britain is an art gallery and it is free to visit. You need to pay to enter some exhibitions.

Exhibition tickets

We recommend booking a ticket for exhibitions before you visit. Members do not need to book.

Pay by card

We are a cashless gallery. You can only pay by card or contactless.

Bringing a bag

If you bring a bag, it must be cabin size or smaller. We have a free cloakroom to store items.

Quieter times to visit

Tate Britain is open every day, apart from 24–26 December when we are closed.

You can visit us from 10.00–18.00.

It is quietest at the start and end of the day.

You can call us on +44 (0)20 7887 8888 to find out how busy the gallery will be when you plan to visit.

A person in an orange jumper looking at a painting framed on a bright blue gallery wall — Photo © Tate (Eugenio Falcioni)

How to get here

Tate Britain building against a bright blue sky — Photo © Tate (Eugenio Falcioni)

The gallery is on Millbank. It is between the Vauxhall Bridge and the Lambeth Bridge. The front of Tate Britain faces the river.

The Manton Entrance is at the side of the building, on Atterbury Street.

Public transport

The nearest tube station is Pimlico. It is on the Victoria line and is an 8 minute walk from the gallery. You can also get here by bus.

Learn more about how to get to Tate Britain.

Entrance to Pimlico tube station with red underground sign — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

Accessible parking

We have a small number of accessible parking spots for disabled visitors. These are accessed via John Islip Street. Please book these spaces at least 24 hours in advance.

Email ticketing@tate.org.uk or call +44 (0)20 7887 8888 (daily 10.00–17.00) to book.

When you arrive

Entrances to the gallery

The Millbank Entrance will be closed until 2027 for the construction of the Clore Garden. Please use the Manton Entrance.

The Manton Entrance is on Atterbury Street.

It is step-free.

It has a sloped entrance ramp.

At the end of the ramp it has automated opening doors.

Security and bag search

A person wearing a high visibility jacket, with arms open in a welcoming pose and smiling — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

This is a Security Officer.

They wear a high vis jacket and are there to keep us safe.

They may ask to search your bag.

Ticket desk

This is the ticket desk.

It is found on the Lower Floor near the Manton Entrance.

A person waiting by a large grey desk with 'Tickets and Membership' written above it — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

This is a Membership and Ticketing Assistant.

They are at the Ticket Desk and can help you buy a ticket for a special exhibition.

They can also help you sign up to become a Member.

Cloakroom

This is the Cloakroom. It is found on the Lower Floor.

A person wearing a Tate staff lanyard handing you a cloakroom token — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

This is a Cloakroom Assistant.

They are at the Cloakroom and can store your bags or coats for you if you do not want to carry them around the gallery.

This service is free.

Finding the toilets

Toilets, an accessible toilet, and baby change facilities are on the Lower Floor. This is next to the Cloakroom. The toilets have hand dryers which you may find noisy.

There are more toilets in the Djanogly Café also on the Lower Floor.

A corridor with three doors to toilets — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

Changing Places toilet

We have a Changing Places toilet located on the Lower Floor of the Clore Auditorium. You need a RADAR key to use this toilet.

The Changing Places toilet has:

Plenty of room for carers
Electric hoist equipment (please bring your own sling suitable for a loop system)
Height adjustable changing bench
Paper roll
Height adjustable wash hand basin
Non-slip floor
Privacy screen

You can access the toilet using a RADAR key, which you collect from the staff reception on John Islip Street. The John Islip Street staff entrance has level access and is available if you have booked accessible parking.

If you are already in the gallery or have not entered via John Islip Street, a member of staff can guide you to the facilities and help you access a RADAR key.

Inside the Changing Places toilet facility at Tate Britain — The Changing Places bathroom, Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

Hand sanitisers

We have hand sanitisers all around the gallery. You can find them in these locations:

Manton Entrance
Lower Floor toilets
Lower Floor Manton Lift
Upper Exhibition Gallery

Hands beneath a hand sanitiser sensor — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

Quiet Room

We have a Quiet Room, found on the Main Floor by the Duveens Gallery. It is next to the Play Studio.

This space is to help you take a break. There are sofas, chairs and coffee tables.

A person sitting on a grey sofa in a room with sofas, chairs, a rug, a plant and a picture on the wall — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

Getting around

We have signs in the gallery to help show you where to go. You can also download a copy of the map onto your phone.

Download the gallery map [PDF]

There are wall maps.

Signs in a gallery giving directions to exhibitions and facilities

There are wall signs.

There are digital screens that tell you what's on in the gallery today, including free tours and talks that you can join.

A digital screen showing a schedule of tours

A person's hand picking up a colourful paper map

There are paper maps at the entrance that you can pick up and take with you.

Stairs and lifts

The gallery is over two floors. We have lifts and stairs that can take you between the Lower Floor and the Main Floor.

You can use the Rotunda Stairs.

A person walking up a large black and white spiral staircase — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

Staircase with large mural artwork — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

You can use the North Stairs.

You can use the lift.

A large lift near the Manton Entrance gives access up to the gallery areas on the main floor. The lift is to the left of the ticket desk, opposite the Manton Studio.

A large lift near the Lower Rotunda, near the Djanogly Café, gives access up to the gallery areas on the main floor and the Members Room on the upper floor.

Floor levels are announced in all lifts.

A lift framed by an orange wall — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

Seating and portable stools

We have lots of types of seating.

We have gallery benches. These are found in different rooms all over the gallery if you want to sit down.

We have sofas in the Upper Rotunda.

A person sitting on a bench — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

Two people sitting on a sofa — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

We have portable stools.

You can pick them up off a stand and carry them with you so you can sit down wherever you like.

There is always a portable stools stand in the Upper Rotunda, as well as next to the door of any special exhibitions.

People sitting on a bench in an art gallery — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

A person sitting on a foldable stool in an art gallery with dark blue walls — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

Asking for help

This is a Visitor Assistant.

They wear a black uniform and an orange lanyard with Tate written on it and are very friendly.

They can take you to a quieter space, and they can answer any questions you might have.

Visitor Assistants can also give you ear defenders, magnifiers, ramble tags or communication cards upon request.

a visitor assitant stands with arms outstretched in a foyer

Hands holding a ramble tag placed on a person's arm — Ramble tags

Hands holding a pair of ear defenders — Ear defenders

A person looking at text through a rectangular magnifier — Magnifiers

Yellow and white communication cards attached by a key ring — Communication cards

Using communication cards

You can use our communication cards to ask for directions to facilities in the gallery. These include toilet, café, seating, shop, quiet room, and exit.

Show one of the cards to a member of Tate staff if you need to be shown to one of these places.

There are two colour versions and are available to download onto your device or print at home. Use whichever version you find easiest to read.

Print communication cards (white)

Print communication cards (yellow)

Digital communication cards (white)

Digital communication cards (yellow)

A person wearing a Tate staff lanyard smiling with a colourful bag that says 'Ask Me' — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

This is a Volunteer.

They are members of the public who work for free at Tate as a host or to take people on an art tour.

They are very friendly and will help answer any questions or show you the way around.

They always wear a colourful ‘Ask Me’ bag.

What you will see

People in the gallery

There can be a lot of people in the gallery, and sometimes it can get crowded or noisy.

You might see people drawing.

A child drawing using an easel in the gallery — Photo © Tate (Jai Monaghan)

A person taking a photo on a smart phone of a painting in a gold frame on a dark red wall — Photo © Tate (Eugenio Falcioni)

You might see people taking photos.

You may see families or groups of school children visiting. They may be playing or doing activities.

An adult and a child sitting on the floor in an art gallery drawing with art materials — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

Art in the gallery

You will see different types of art. There are sculptures, paintings, films and installations. Some spaces can be dark, some spaces can be light.

There might be text on the walls to help explain the art. If the text is too small for you, ask staff for a magnifier. Large print guides for exhibitions can be collected at the exhibition entrances.

A person in a red dress with children sits on a bench in a salon hang gallery looking at historial paintings — Photo © Tate (Madeleine Buddo)

In the Historic and Modern British Art collection on the Main Floor, there is artwork from the Tudor Courts in 1545 all the way until World War II in 1940. There are paintings, sculptures and books that explain British history.

In the Modern and Contemporary British Art collection on the Main Floor, you will find artwork from 1940s until now. These works can be colourful, abstract, and use lots of different materials including photography, video and sound.

A person crouching to take a photo on their smartphone of a Damien Hirst artwork featuring a sheep — Photo © Tate (Madeleine Buddo)

Two people looking at a large painting by JMW Turner — Tate © (Lucy Green)

In the Clore Galleries on the Main Floor, you will find the JMW Turner collection. Turner is known for making paintings and drawings of landscapes, boats and sunrises.

In the Duveen Galleries on the Main Floor, you will find large artworks.

People looking at an artwork that is a large white cast of a staircase — Photo © Tate (Madeleine Buddo)

Rules around the gallery

You cannot touch the artworks

You cannot eat or drink in the galleries

You can take photos, but make sure the flash is turned off

Look out for markings on the floor or wire barriers around some artworks. This is so you do not get too close to the art.

The wire barriers may make a sound if they are crossed. This is to help you know to step back.

A bronze sculpture on a large pedestal, surrounded by low white wire cord barriers — Photography © Tate

Things to do

Every day there are guided tours and talks in the gallery where staff share stories about artists and artworks. These are free to join.

Tours meet in the Upper Rotunda.

A person in a pink dress presenting a talk to a group of people — © Tate

There is a drawing bar called Tate Draw on the Lower Floor. You can sketch on a digital pad. Finished drawings get projected on the wall.

You can also save your drawing to a phone, or order a T-shirt to wear your creation.

Children drawing on digital screens with digital artworks appearing on the walls of the large curved room — © Rikard Österlund

Sometimes there are events you can join, like a talk or a workshop.

Find out what events are coming up

Eating and drinking

The Djanogly Café is on the Lower Floor.

You can look at the menu before you visit.

You can only eat food that is bought in the café here.

Family eating in the Djangoly cafe — © photo Rikard Österlund

A person with dark curly hair and a moustache wearing a black t-shirt and a black apron — Tate © (Lucy Green)

This is a Café Assistant.

The café is self-service, and the Café Assistant will take payment for any food or drink you wish to buy. They will also take your order for hot drinks at the counter.

If you order a hot drink, the Café Assistant will ask you to wait whilst they prepare it for you.

The Djanogly Café be crowded and noisy some of the time, especially at lunchtime.

Water fountains

There are water fountains located next to the Lower Floor toilets and in the Djanogly Café.

Bringing your own food and drink

We have tables and chairs in the Lower Rotunda near the Djanogly Café. You can eat and drink your own food here.

People eating and talking sitting at tables and chairs — Tate © (Lucy Green)

Shops

A shop with dark blue walls full of books, postcards, prints and tote bags — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

The Main Shop has a big selection of books and prints. It also sells postcards, jewellery and some homeware.

This is a Shop Assistant.

They will take payment for anything you wish to purchase at the shop or help with any questions about things you may want to buy.

A person with dark curly hair wearing a Tate lanyard working behind a shop till — Photo © Tate (Lucy Green)

Family spaces

We have two family spaces.

View of a room with patterns on the walls and bookshelves, with a table and chairs in the foreground — Story Space, Manton Studio, Tate Britain, © Pearl Cook

Story Space is a quiet space with soft sofas, bean bags, books to read and drawing activities.

It is found in the Manton Studio on the Lower Floor.

It is open on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays and every day during School Holidays.

Play Studio is a space that has toys, drawing, and an interactive green screen.

It is found in the Millbank Studio on the Main Floor.

It is open Friday to Sunday and every day during School Holidays.

Play Studio during Queer and Now, June 2023 © Pearl Cook

Alarms and announcements

If there is an evacuation, a loud alarm will sound. Staff will ask you to exit the gallery via the nearest door and wait outside.

They will let you know when it is safe to go back inside the building.

Leaving the gallery

You can exit the building the same way you entered.

We hope you enjoy your visit.

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Tate Britain visual story

What you need to know

Quieter times to visit