Transformed, a former power station now stands as a beacon of modern art. Welcome to the Tate Modern. This London landmark houses the United Kingdom’s national collection of international modern and contemporary art. It showcases art created from 1900 to the present day.
Before Tate Modern became a gallery it was the Bankside Power Station. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott designed it. He also designed Battersea Power Station. Construction occurred in two stages between 1947 and 1963. The power station sits directly across the river from St Paul’s Cathedral.
Imagine the power station in 1981. It closed its doors. Developers eyed the site for demolition. But many people fought to save the building. They proposed new uses for the space.
In April 1994 the Tate Gallery announced Bankside as the new Tate Modern. Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron won the international competition to design the gallery. The conversion cost £134 million. The Tate Modern opened in January 2000.
The most noticeable change was the two-story glass extension on the roof. The Turbine Hall remained. It is a cavernous main hall with the original overhead crane. An electrical substation stayed on-site. EDF Energy, a French power company, owned it. The Tate Modern took over the northern Boiler House for its main exhibitions.
Queen Elizabeth II opened Tate Modern on May 11 2000. In its first year, Tate Modern welcomed 5.25 million visitors. This far exceeded expectations. The three existing Tate galleries had only 2.5 million visitors the previous year.
Tate Modern planned an expansion. The plans focused on the southwest side of the building. The aim was to almost double the display space. In 2006 EDF Energy released the western half of its holding. Plans emerged to replace the structure with a tower extension.
The first phase of the expansion converted three underground oil tanks. These became accessible display spaces. They opened in July 2012. Work continued on the tower above. The Tanks reopened in June 2016 after the Switch House extension was complete.
Two of the Tanks showcase live performance art. The third Tank provides utility space. Tate describes them as the world’s first museum galleries dedicated to live art. A ten-story tower rises 65 meters above ground. It is known as the Switch House.
The Switch House extension provides 22492 square meters of additional space. This includes display areas, performance spaces, and education facilities. In May 2017 the Switch House became the Blavatnik Building. This was named after Sir Leonard Blavatnik. He contributed a large sum to the extension’s cost.
Inside Tate Modern, the collection consists of international modern and contemporary art from 1900 to today. Levels 2, 3, and 4 house gallery space. The Boiler House displays art from 1900 to the present. The Switch House shows art from 1960 to the present.
The Turbine Hall is a large space that runs the length of the building. It once housed the power station’s electricity generators. It is five stories tall. The Turbine Hall displays large commissioned works by contemporary artists.
Since 2000 Tate Modern has commissioned many artists for the Turbine Hall. These commissions are often large and thought-provoking. Louise Bourgeois, Anish Kapoor and Ai Weiwei are among the artists featured.
Tate Modern’s collection displays consist of themed areas. These areas showcase different works. The themes change less frequently. There is no admission charge for these areas.
Tate Modern has faced protests. The art collective Liberate Tate has protested against BP sponsorship. They want Tate to disengage from BP.
Tate Modern is more than just an art gallery. It is a symbol of transformation. It is a place where art inspires conversation. It is a space where history meets the present. As you explore, consider the journey of this building. It changed from power station to a world-renowned art destination.