tate britain private tour

Tate à Tate - Private Guided Tour of the Tate Britain and Tate Modern Art Galleries

Meet your guide.

Elizabeth C.     London, England, United Kingdom

I would like to welcome you to London, my home and the city I love. As well as being an experienced,... more

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$748 USD  PER TOUR For up to 6 people  (duration: 7 hours)  deposit ?

Tour Number

Activity level.

Museums / Culture

Kid Friendly: Yes. Friendly: Yes. Both galleries are fully accessible Maximum travelers: 6

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explanation

English (fluent)

An art lover's tour with an extra twist. A private tour with expert commentary in two of London's most important art galleries.

If you are interested in art, a trip to London isn't complete without visiting two of its major galleries, Tate Britain and Tate Modern. And who better to accompany you than an official Tate Gallery guide? I have been guiding visitors in both galleries for 5 years and love introducing them to the paintings, sculptures, photographs and installations. Tate Britain houses great British art, so we'll see works by Gainsborough, Hogarth, Reynolds, Turner, Constable, Singer Sargent, Millais, Rosetti, Henry Moore, Hockney to name but a few. International modern and contemporary pieces are found in Tate Modern, from Dali and Picasso to neo conceptual artists like Jenny Holzer and Bruce Naumann. There's always something new and thought provoking to see. We might also be able to catch an exhibition too--I'm looking forward the Augustus Rodin and Paula Rego exhibitions both scheduled for 2021.

Tate Britain Gallery where we spend 2 hours exploring great British art. River taxi trip along the Thames to vibrant Bankside. This takes around half an hour and you can see London from the river. Visit bustling Borough Market for lunch, either in a traditional pub or graze on street food. Stroll along the river (20 mins) Tate Modern Gallery, 2 hours exploring the international modern and contemporary collection. This tour as a whole or partially, can be customized to fit your preferences - please inquire!

Meeting Point + Tour Duration

Meeting Point Options: Hotel, Suggested by Guide: Tate Britain Gallery entrance hall

Duration: 7 hours

Transportation

By foot and river taxi

What’s Included

• Guiding Services

Estimated Local Cash Needed

35 GBP - £35 should be sufficient to buy the river taxi ticket and a light lunch. Entry to both Art galleries is free

What’s Extra

• Personal Expenses
• Public Transportation Tickets
• Food, Drinks, Snacks

Other: River taxi fare is currently £8.60 per adult TOUR PRICES FOR PUBLIC HOLIDAYS New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Boxing Day - 50% supplement to published rate Christmas Day - 100% supplement to published rate

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Questions about the tour? Not seeing exactly what you’re looking for? Contact this guide with questions, or to create a custom itinerary for you and your travel companions.

Tate à Tate - Private Guided Tour of,...

Elizabeth C.

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Web address (URL) of this page: https://www.toursbylocals.com/London-Tate-Art-Galleries-Private-Tour

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$748 USD per tour This tour allows 1 to 6 people in your private group and costs $748 USD whether the group has 1 person, 6 people, or anywhere in between. Have more than 6 people in your group? Contact the guide to see if they can customize the tour to allow more than 6." style="text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer;"> 

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Private Tours

26 September 2021 by

Corporate members can exclusively host private viewings around our world-class exhibitions. Our packages are designed to help your organisation engage with the arts, experience behind-the-scenes access, and create spectacular events. Tate Events directly supports the work of Tate and it’s mission, championing the right to the richness of art for everyone.  To find out more contact the Tate Events and Corporate Membership team.

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London Tate Modern and Tate Britain Private Guided Tour

About this activity.

Smartphone tickets accepted

• Your booking is confirmed instantly
• This activity is in your language
• This option has FREE cancellation: book it without any risk!

Experience Highlights

Don't miss this private guided tour of two of London's most important museums, Tate Britain and Tate Modern , where you'll learn about the extensive collection of masterpieces by British and international artists alongside an art historian tour guide . As this is a private experience , the guide will be able to tailor the tour to your personal interests. In addition, a boat trip on the River Thames is also included between visits to both museums.

• Get to know the museums of Tate Britain and Tate Modern in around 3 hours with this private guided tour.
• An expert art history guide will make sure to customise the tour according to your interests in different artists or styles.
• You'll discover British and international works of art by iconic artists such as Turner, Picasso and Dalí.

What’s included

• Guided tour of the Tate Britain and Tate Modern museums in London
• Private experience
• Art historian tour guide
• Thames River Cruise

Select participants and date

Step by step.

Take this private guided tour of London' s Tate Britain and Tate Modern museums in just 3 hours. You will be accompanied by a private guide specialising in art history . As this is a private tour , he will tailor the selection of works and galleries to visit according to your personal preferences.

Inside the Tate Britain Museum , located in the heart of the city, you will be able to admire an extensive collection of British art from the 16th century to the present day. You will appreciate such famous artists as J.M.W. Turner, John Constable and David Hockney, among others. In addition, the guide will provide you with detailed information about each work and help you appreciate its significance and historical context.

The Tate Modern , on the other hand, exhibits a world-renowned collection of modern art. You'll explore everything from the surrealism of Salvador Dali to the conceptual installations of Damien Hirst, immersing you in a unique experience of contemporary art .

Along with the museums, this experience also includes a boat trip on the River Thames for great views of the city.

• N Noah 5 (0 Reviews) Recorrí el Tate Modern y Tate Britain con mi hermano, ¡una experiencia artística inolvidable! El guía fue super entendido y nos hizo disfrutar cada rincón.
• M Martín 5 (0 Reviews) Me encantó la visita guiada a dos museos de Londres. Aprendí mucho sobre arte y la historia de la ciudad.
• L Lina 5 (0 Reviews) Me encantó la experiencia inmersiva en el arte, pero el recorrido fue un poco apresurado para mi gusto.
• C Camille 5 (0 Reviews) La visita guiada por los museos Tate fue una pasada, me encantó descubrir las historias detrás de cada obra de arte. ¡Y el guía! Un crack, se sabía todo al dedillo.

Other Things You Should Know

• Accessible for wheelchairs, assistance animals and prams
• This is a private activity. Only your group can participate
• Not recommended for people with heart problems and other serious medical conditions.

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Tate Modern Guided Tour | Private

What to expect

Your Livtours Private Tate Modern Guided Tour is the best way to learn, engage, and gain a deep understanding of Great Britain’s largest collection of Modern Art. With an expert in the subject leading you around the most important and interesting works of art, benefit from engaging, discussing, and proposing questions with your guide as you explore the museum in VIP luxury. Pass large groups, herded through the museum as you begin a discourse on your favorite paintings or uncover new knowledge on up-and-coming artists.

Avoid feeling lost in a world of complex symbolism and understand how the art of our time relates to the world around us. Looming over the river Thames, the Tate Modern is a genius repurposing of a 20th-century power station, now housing works of art from Picasso, Dali, Money, Warhol, and Lichtenstein. Bring to life the giants of modern art with this tailor-made personalized tour and leave understanding the codes, messages, and symbols to identify meaning in other works of modern art around the world.

Why book this tour

• See world famous works of art from Picasso, Dali to Warhol with a private guide
• Enjoy the luxury of a private customised tour with an expert guide at your side
• Engage with your private expert as they guide you through the museum highlights
• Understand the messages behind the greatest works of art on a 2 hour tour
• Avoid crowds and go straight to the highlights of this renowned museum

Exclusive private Tours and Experiences. Also offered in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Swedish and Russian

Our prices always include tickets and reservations fees (no waiting in lines!)

Our tour guides and staff are selected experts and speak perfect English

Easy to book and prepay your tours with our secure payment system

Eco-sustainable tourism, designed to respect and support local culture, art and traditions

Tour gallery

Read more about your Tate Modern guided tour

Beginning your Livtours  Private Tate Modern Guided Tour , on the banks of the river Thames, your expert will begin by introducing the subject in hand and the fascinating area the museum is located in. Southwark has been associated with the arts and entertainment since the 16th century. Setting the scene you will enter a beautifully restored power station, combining industrial grandeur with open spaces to create a perfectly calm atmosphere to view the richest collection of modern art in the UK. Described as an industrial cathedral originally designed to generate power, the brick building that now houses the art was designed by London architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scot (designer of London’s iconic red telephone boxes) the building has changed, adapted, and reinvented itself, just like the art it houses and the city it calls home.

As your expert art historian leads you into the museum, begin discussing the nature of art and how we approach, interpret, and interact with images. How modern art affects the way we view the world and what even defines art as a subject. With your tailor-made private tour engage with your guide at different levels, beginning with a crash course in modern art if you wish or discussing your favorite works of art you have come to see. There is no other way to fully immerse yourself in the world of impressionism, DADA, surrealism, or cubism than with your very own expert to lead you. Learn more about Monet and modern arts impressionist break away from classical and romantic realistic painting, how impressionism developed into more abstract forms, Spanish giants such as Picasso and Dali, and how the conflict shaped their distressing images, and dive into the world of 1960s pop art with Andy Warhol. Dodge the crowds and enjoy the thought-provoking space at your comfort and leisure, ensuring you don’t ever feel rushed as you maximize your time visiting the must-see and your highlights.

This Tour Includes

• Private guided tour
• Priority entrance into museum
• Monet, Picasso, Dali
• Andy Warhol & sir Giles Gilbert Scot

Our Sustainable Tourism Promise

LivTours’ group size of max 6 participants is and always has been based on sustainable travel, and we are proud to be at the forefront of change and innovation in the industry.   LivTours is committed to providing travelers with truly sustainable tours with the lowest possible environmental impact, all while supporting the local industries and people of each unique destination. To learn more about how you can actively support sustainable tourism  and how LivTours is contributing, click here .

About our Private tours

When you book a LivTours Private Tour or Experience , you are guaranteed a dedicated, expert guide that allows you the flexibility to start your tour at a time which is convenient for you, making planning easy. Our private tours ensure that you will get a tailored experience to meet all your needs so we go at your pace, perfect for families with younger children, elderly, or individuals with accessibility needs. Please be advised that all private tours begin at a base price starting at two people* . Prices are inclusive of entry tickets where applicable.  *Some Ferrari private experiences are inclusive of one person only.

Additional options

Make your experience even more unique by upgrading your LivTours experience. Please note: add-ons are non refundable.

Thanks LivTours!

We took the guided tour of the British Museum with this company and were so pleased with the tour and the guide, that we booked their tour to visit the Tate. Again, we were extremely satisfied with the entire experience. The company is very customer-oriented and the guides are not just knowledgeable but also seem to be anxious to share that knowledge with you.... not like so many other bored (and boring) guides that we have had with other companies. Book with LivTours. You won't be disappointed!

Highly recommend

So glad we booked this tour to visit the Tate Museum in London. There is a rich collection of works and having a well-informed and charming guide to tell us the history, about the life of the artist and point out details made all the difference in the world. So much better than going on our own with just a tour book in hand.

Tate Modern

We had taken LivTour's tour of the Musee D'Orsay in Paris so we knew we were booking the best when we signed up for their tour of the Tate Modern while in London. Once again, our guide was excellent in every way: an expert in art history and an artist herself with a warm and friendly personality. Thanks to her, we will fondly remember our visit to the Tate and all of the unbelievable art that we saw there.

Tate Museum

Beautiful art!! Awesome guide!! Unforgettable experience!

Fascinating tour

Our tour of the Tate Museum with LivTour's guide, Mary, was just fascinating. Both my husband and I are very interested in modern art and the Tate has one of the best collections not to be missed. But the real treat was Mary's detailed and rich insights into the art and the artists that we were seeing. Thank you Mary for a truly wonderful experience!

Choose dates later / Buy as a gift

By selecting Choose Dates Later / Buy as Gift at booking, any tour can be purchased without fixed dates. This is the perfect option if you want to purchase your tour as a gift for a loved one, or if you are in the pre-planning phase of your vacation. After booking, you will receive a Travel Voucher Code and full instructions on how to schedule your tours when ready. Once your travel plans are confirmed, you can easily use the Travel Voucher Code on the LivTours website to formally schedule your tours. You can find out more here .

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• BRITAIN’S BEST

BRITAIN’S BEST Private Tate Modern Tour & 3-Course Lunch at Tate Modern

Tate Modern

Bankside London SE1 9TG United Kingdom

Why you'll love it.

A day filled with fascinating facts and delicious delicacies experience a private tour of London’s Tate Modern, followed by lunch at Kitchen and Bar, located on level 6 of the Natalie Bell building with spectacular views of St Paul’s and the London skyline. One of the world’s most iconic art galleries, Tate Modern boasts an unrivalled international collection of modern and contemporary artworks. Discover lesser known secrets of the latest exhibitions with your own private tour guide, followed by a modern seasonal menu inspired by the exhibitions.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Private tour of tate modern each, a three-course meal with a beverage, service charge is included.

Number of guests

£ 330 (£ 165 pp)

Easy Refunds & Exchanges

Instant E-Certificate Delivery

1 Year Validity

MORE ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE

Where and when it's available.

Daily: Tour at 11pm or 12pm Lunch at 12:15pm or 1:15pm

HOW DOES TRULY WORK?

1. Once you have checked out, you will receive an e-certificate with a unique redemption code.

2. Use this code to request your booking with the desired date and time

3. Sit back and let us handle the rest. Arrive to your experience knowing we have arranged everything.

THE TRULY PROMISE ON ALL OUR EXPERIENCES

Always the same value-for-money as found on our partner's website or venue.

Visitor’s Guide To London’s Tate Britain, The Best Of British Art

Here’s my guide to visiting the magnificent Tate Britain in London. I give you an overview of the museum and 15 masterpieces you can’t miss.

The museum may not be as wildly popular as its sister-museum, the Tate Modern. But if you’re a lover of British art, the Tate Britain is a must visit attraction in London.

Tate Britain features traditional British art from the 1545 to the present day. It’s home to J.M.W. Turner’s watercolors and dreamy Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Some of the most famous paintings in Britain are housed in this museum.

Of special note, there are 8 entire rooms dedicated to Turner, one of Britian’s greatest artists, in the Clore Gallery. The gallery includes some of Turner’s greatest masterpieces — such as  Self Portrait, Peace, Burial at Sea,  and  Norham Castle, Sunrise.

In addition, the Tate Britain is a pristine glistening work of art itself. The museum boasts a domed rotunda, beautiful spiral staircase, terrazzo floors, and Victorian details.

Built in the late 19th century, the Tate Britain underwent an extensive renovation, which was completed in 2013. The result is an ultra pretty museum experience.

History Of The Tate Britain

The Tate Galleries were named after William Tate. He was a Victorian businessman who made his fortune in the sugar trade.

Tate was also one of Britain’s most important art collectors. Among his most important acquisitions were John Everett Millais’ Ophelia and J.W. Waterhouse’s The Lady of Shallot .

In 1889, he offered to donate his collection to the nation on the condition that a gallery be built to showcase it. Tate even ponied up the money to build the museum.

In 1897, the National Gallery of British Art opened. It was founded as a branch of the National Gallery of Art .

The museum was renamed the Tate Gallery in 1932. Today, there are four Tate galleries in Britain, including the Tate Modern, the Tate St. Ives, and the Tate Liverpool. When the Tate Modern opened, the Tate Gallery was renamed Tate Britain.

Other significant patrons include the Duveen family. They funded large extension to the gallery.

What Exactly Is British Art?

The Tate Britain contains a collection of works made by British artists or that were created in Britain. But what makes British art “British?”

British art followed a somewhat different course of development from mainstream European art.

British art is most remarkable for its dominance of the portraiture genre in the 17th through 19th centuries. In the Georgian period, Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough were lionized for their portraits, rendered in an infinite variety of grays and greens.

Britain was also noted for its landscape paintings, especially from the Romantic Age. You’ll find seminal works by luminaries such as Turner, William Blake, and John Constable.

British art also has some unique genres. In Britain, group portraits became known as “conversation pieces.” They were popularized by William Hogarth, Britain’s first native born painter of International stature.

Conversations pieces were informal portraits. They focused on social relationships between friends and family.

The Pre-Raphaelites were also a distinctively British art movement. They wanted to establish a new kind of art in Britain, reviving the methods and ideals of Early Renaissance and Medieval art. 

Taking the idea of “truth to nature,” they sought to invest their red headed subjects with a sense of physical and psychological realism. This British school influenced a wider European Symbolism movement.

Tickets & Tours of Tate Britain

Tate Britain is free to visit. So you don’t need to pre-book a ticket.

But you may want to book a guided tour of the impressive collection.

Click here for a 2.5 hour guided tour of the collection, which I’ve taken and really enjoyed. You can also book a guided tour of both the Tate Britain and the Tate Modern .

Guide To The Tate Britain: What To See

There are scads of masterpieces at the Tate Britain. Here’s my guide to 15 show-stopping highlights. You’ll see them in mostly chronological order.

1. Sir John Everett Millais, Ophelia

Ophelia is my favorite painting at the Tate Britain. It’s a classic Pre-Raphaelite work with bright colors, a dreamy visionary quality, and a tragic theme of wasted youth.

The painting depicts the death of Ophelia, a character in Shakespeare’s Hamlet . Ophelia is driven mad with grief when Hamlet murders her father. She falls into a stream and drowns.

In the painting, Ophelia holds a variety of flowers. The poppies symbolize death, the daisies represent innocence, and the pansies reflect blighted love.

In its day, Ophelia was regarded as at the most accurate and elaborate study of nature ever made. The model for Ophelia posed in a bathtub.

2. John William Waterhouse,  The Lady of Shalott

Waterhouse’s  The Lady of Shalott is an incredible masterpiece in the Tate Britain. It transports viewers back forty years earlier when the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood dominated the middle of the century.

The subject is a vulnerable young red haired woman in white gown. She’s set adrift in a river setting reminiscent of Ophelia .

The painting has the same mythical beauty as Ophelia . But Waterhouse’s painting has a more impressionistic delicacy.

The subject of the painting comes from Lord Alfred Tennyson’s Arthurian poem of the same name. In the poems, she lives isolated in a castle.

Because of a curse, she is forbidden from looking out her window, upon the pain of death. Instead, she’s relegated to viewing images of the outside world through a mirror.

One day, she sees a reflection of a rather handsome Lancelot. She’s smitten and looks directly at him through the window.

To meet him, she leaves her castle and rides a boat down to Camelot. The tapestry she wove during her confinement is draped over the boat.

But the curse kicks in and she dies before reaching the shore. Here demise is hinted at by a crucifix and three candles in the painting.

3. Henry Wallis, Chatterton

Chatterton is a highly romanticized painting. It created a sensation when it was exhibited at the Royal Academy. It’s an example of the Victorian approach to history painting.

Thomas Chatterton was a poet and melancholy writer of Gothic themes. Despairing of his lack of literary success, he committed suicide at the age of 17 by swallowing arsenic.

Wallis’ painting shows the pale, still body of Chatterton lying on a bed. His head and right arm dangling loosely over the edge, his tattered papers and the poison vial beside him.

His white shirt and stockings help to silhouette the figure against the darker background. The vivid purple of Chatterton’s knee breeches and his reddish hair grab the viewer’s attention.

4. Rossetti, Beata Beatrix

This is another Pre-Raphaelite masterpiece at the Tate Britain. The inspiration for the painting was Dante’s Vita Nuova . That work tells the story of Dante’s idealized and unrequited love for Beatrice.

The painting is a portrait of Rossetti’s wife Elizabeth Siddall in the character of Beatrice. In the background, Dante gazes toward his love.

The work has a hazy, transcendental quality. Beatrice is posed in ecstasy. The painting seems like a dream or vision.

The painting is filled with symbolic references. A bird drops a white poppy into her hand, a symbol of death. The dove and the figure of Love are red, the color of passion. The time of Beatrice’s death is seen in the sundial.

5. John Constable’s  Flatford Mill

Along with Turner, Constable revolutionized landscape painting in the 19th century. His paintings had a profound and far-reaching effect on European art, particularly in France.

Constable moved away from the highly idealized landscapes that were the expected norm at the academy. Instead, he favored realistic depictions of the natural world.

Constable was famous for painting the Suffolk countryside and Flatford Mill is no exception. The painting shows men working on the River Stour. It was intended as an expression of the importance and value of rural life.

Flatfoot Mill was Constable’s largest canvas and was mainly painted outside. He called it one of his “six footers.”

6. William Blake Works

William Blake was an artist who developed radical new approaches to painting and printmaking. He explored highly personal interpretations of Christian themes. Rejecting the academy, Blake became the most radical of leftfield artists.

Nowadays, Blake is a revered hero. He’s considered a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age.

But, in his age, he was considered a visionary oddball. And, indeed, Blake claimed to have visions since childhood.

You can see some of Blake’s visions at the Tate Britain. They include The Ghost of a Flea , Newton , and Satan Smiting Job with Sore Boils.

7. Thomas Lawrence, Mrs. Siddons

Lawrence was the most popular English portrait painter of his time. He was famed for portraying the high society ladies in a polished and flattering style. Lawrence became the court painter for King Georg IV.

Lawrence painted many portraits of the actress Sarah Siddons. She was known as the greatest tragic actress of her day.

In this painting, she is shown at one of her dramatic readings. Volumes of plays are next her.

8. Turner Paintings

Turner may be Britain’s most famous and important artist. In the mid 19th century, Turner shocked his colleagues with his loose brush strokes and fiery palette, presaging the later Impressionist movement. 

The Tate Britain’s collection of Turner is the world’s largest collection. It includes all the paintings he had in his possession upon his death.

Turner left it to the nation in his will. There are several hundred oil paintings, watercolors, and sketch books. They are displayed in 8 rooms in the Clore Gallery.

Turner’s works range from highly finished scenes to spontaneous impressions of nature. In the early 19th century, Turner concentrated on British subjects, displaying a patriotic sentimentalism.

9. Mark Rothko’s Seagram Murals

Mark Rothko is an American abstract expressionist painter. But he drew inspiration from Turner. As a result of his admiration, he gifted a group of paintings to the Tate Britain. It’s in the Clore Gallery with Turner’s works.

Rothko was originally commissioned by Seagrams to create these murals for the Four Seasons restaurant in New York. In 1959, Rothko abruptly quit the prestigious gig. Apparently, he didn’t want his art to be mere decoration for wealthy patrons.

Instead, the Seagram Murals took on a darker and more contemplative turn. Michelangelo’s Laurentian Library in Florence Italy influenced Rothko’s meditations.

He used a somber palette of red, browns, and blacks. Rothko sought to re-create the library’s claustrophobic and sepulchral atmosphere.

The murals are displayed in dark, dimly lit rooms. At the time, some criticized them as “Apolcalypse Wallpaper.”

10. Henry Moore Sculptures

Henry Moore burst on to the scene in the 1920s. He was a radical and experimental sculptor. He became the leading sculptor of his generation and a pioneer of modern sculpture.

Moore’s enduring subject was the human body. He saw the countryside as the best setting for his sculptures. Some of his forms are shaped like natural objects such as stones or bones.

Moore’s sculptures are displayed in two dedicated rooms at the Tate Britain. The famous sculptures include Reclining Figure , Recumbent Figure , Family Group , and King and Queen .

King and Queen was created about the same time as the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Moore portrays the figures as almost divine beings.

11. Francis Bacon, Three Studies For Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion

Francis Bacon is know for his emotionally charged raw imagery of traumatized humanity. Drifting inbetween figuration and abstraction, his figures are set in isolated and geometric cage-like spaces. They have flat non descriptive backgrounds.

Bacon liked to work in series. He would focus on a single subject for a sustained period of time.

Three Studies was a breakthrough painting for Bacon. It caused a sensation and established him as one of the foremost post-war painters.

It’s not really a crucifixion painting. Bacon later said he was inspired by the vengeful furies of Greece mythology.

This work was first exhibit in 1945. Some historians think Bacon’s work reflects the grim world used in by the Holocaust.

READ : Guide To the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C.

12. Lucian Freud, Girl With a White Dog

Lucian Freud is considered one of the most important figurative painters of the 20th century. He essentially redefined portraiture.

The grandson of the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, Freud became famous for his unflinching observations of anatomy and the unsettling intensity of his nude portraits.

Freud used an anti-romantic, confrontational style of portraiture that stripped bare the sitter’s social facade. His images were intensely realized and almost intentionally uglified. Some critics considered Freud the painter of fat people who own their fat.

Freud used loose brushwork and richly applied color. His portraits of lovers, friends, family, and celebrities are fleshy, honest, tender, and complex.

Girl With a White Dog is an early portrait of his pregnant first wife. The absence of a title emphasizes the artist’s preoccupation with observation.

The painting depicts a pale woman in a dressing gown clutching a white dog. The longer you look at it, the more uncomfortable the image becomes. 

The woman looks calm, but also a little crazy. The dog is a bull terrier.

The blunt muzzle is terrifyingly close to the woman’s exposed breast. Will the dog bite the woman? Will the woman strangle the dog?

13. David Hockney, A Bigger Splash

Hockney is one of the most recognizable and popular British artists of our time. His main interest is the challenge of representation, trying to capture an object in two dimension.

A Bigger Splash is an iconic work of Pop Art. It was created in the late 1960s when Hockney had moved to California.

It was a post-war period of optimism and Hockney’s depiction of a California swimming pool reflects this.

The painting evokes a glamorous life of sun and leisure. In many of his paintings, Hockney added male figures. But, in this one, the splash is all the suggests a human presence.

14. Allen Jones, Chair

Allen Jones is a pop artist best known for his figurative paintings and sculpture. His controversial “women as furniture” series sparked outrage for its objectification of the female body.

Chair is a life-size, hyper-realistic female mannequin squeezed into bondage gear. The artist has a fascination with fakery and fetish.

On International Women’s Day in 1986, a demonstrator poured paint stripper over  Chair  in an attempt to literally deface it.

The sculpture still has the ability to shock today. Some claim it symbolizes female oppression. Others view it as an important object in the canon of art history, a response to the then prevailing Minimalism.

15. Chris Ofili, No Woman, No Cry 1998

This enormous painting and densely layered painting is a tribute to the mother of Stephen Lawrence. He was murdered in a racially motivated attack in 1993. It won Ofili the Turner Prize five years later.

Doreen Lawrence’s profile is set against a collaged backdrop of abstract diamonds shaped forms. Each of her light blue tears contains an image of her son. The words RIP are discernible under the paint.

The canvas is perched on two large pieces of elephant dung, a material Olifi liked to use. It exudes a feeling of universal melancholy and grief.

Tours Of The Tate Britain

The Tate Britain is free as I mentioned. But the signage isn’t very good at all.

Because there are so many masterpieces, you may want to book a guided tour.

You can take this 3 hour guided tour or a 3 hour guided tour that includes both the Tate Britain and the Tate Modern .

Practical Information and Tips For Visiting The Tate Britain

Here’s some must know information on how to visit the Tate Britain:

Address : Millbank, Westminster, London SW1P 4RG

Entrances :

There are three different Tate Britain entrances:

• The Manton Entrance (on Atterbury Street), which has direct access to the lower floor of the gallery, the Linbury Galleries, and the Hyman Kreitman Reading Rooms.
• The Millbank Entrance, which has access to the upper floor and main gallery areas via 20 steps.
• The North Entrance (on John Islip Street), the most ideal entrance for those parking on John Islip Street via the North Gat

Hours : Open daily 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

The Tate has a Bloomberg Connects app to enable visitors to lead their own journey around the galleries on their smartphones.

The app provides a more bespoke, behind-the-scenes, experience than a traditional museum audio guide. It can be downloaded in advance of a visit or in the museum on the Tate’s free Wi-Fi. 

Entry : Free. In high season, you may need to book a timed entry reservation.

Tube stations : Pimlicco, Victoria, Westminster 

The museum has a cafe on the lower floor, Djanogly Cafe . It’s a pretty place with vaulted and frescoed ceilings.

You can get a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, tea, and other drinks. The cafe even has a a Hogarth inspired beer.

Pro tip : You can take a  virtual tour  of the Tate Britain on Google Arts & Culture. On the Tate Britain website , you can also listen to curators talk about key art works in the museum.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to the Tate Britain. You may enjoy these other England travel guides and resources:

• 5 Days in London Itinerary
• Guide To Free Museums in London
• Guide To the National Gallery of Art
• Harry Potter places in London
• Guide To the Churchill War Rooms
• Guide To The Wallace Collection
• Tourist Traps To Avoid in London
• Guide To the Tower of London
• Guide To Hampton Court Palace
• Guide To Hatfield House
• Guide To The Henry VII Chapel

If you’d like to visit the Tate Britain, pin it for later.

2 thoughts on “Visitor’s Guide To London’s Tate Britain, The Best Of British Art”

Hi. I visited 31st August 2022 – and none of the Pre Raphaelites are on display at the moment. Thanks for a great article

Oh, I’m sorry, that’s such a bummer! They must be gone as part of a traveling exhibit. I was there in March and they were all on display.

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Last Updated on July 7, 2023 by Leslie Livingston

Tate Britain Tour

Take a private guided tour of this superb art collection at the Tate Britain.

Take a private guided tour of the Tate Britain. This gallery of masterworks tells the story of 500 years of British painting and sculpture. Major works by Gainsborough and Reynolds, Turner and Constable and in more recent times Henry Moore and Lucian Freud  help to make this the premiere collection of painting by Britain’s more notable artists.

Your highlights tour may range from paintings by that great 18 th century English satirist William Hogarth,  John Constable’s early 19 th century elegy to his birthplace Flatford Mill, one of the gallery’s best-loved images Ophelia by Sir John Everett Millais and works by Dame Barbara Hepworth and Stanley Spencer dating from the 20 th century.    Your private guide of the Tate Britain will tailor your tour to your interests: be it 18 th century portraits, the pre-Raphaelites,  Victorian painting or modern art.   And no visit to the gallery is complete without a selection of works by Britain’s favourite artist, JMW Turner.

You may wish to combine this tour with another gallery visit, perhaps to the National Gallery or Tate Modern.  Speak to you guide in advance to make sure any specific works you want to see are on show.

If you require a guide with a private car to conduct your tour please tick above. This will send your request to one of our driver guides who are UK licensed, registered and insured.

If you like this tour, you may also like:

Jack the ripper tour, london’s christmas lights, downton abbey tour.

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Is it worth to take a private tours? - Moscow Forum

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Is it worth to take a private tours?

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Hi! Just checking the TripAdvisor and see that there are lot's of private tours around the Kremlin and main square. Usually, I don't take tours or personal tours, but now I am in doubt. Have you tried a tour with a personal guide? Does it worth the money? How you choose - by reviews or something else?

> Usually, I don't take tours or personal tours

Then don't take one here.

> but now I am in doubt

An official Kremlin guide will save you hours of waiting in lines

>> but now I am in doubt

Well, maybe I am missing something here? Wanted to know why others decide to take tours rather than go by themselves

> Wanted to know why others decide to take tours

What "others"? I personally see a lot more reports here by people who went by themselves than by people who decided to take a tour.

Wanted to know why others decide to take tours rather than go by themselves

>>>

Takonya, this is sort of a philosophical question - why, or when, people prefer outsourcing instead of doing the job themselves.

If you take just a couple of minutes to contemplate, you will surely arrive at wise conclusions.

Meanwhile, if you invest in a sensible guidebook and/or do research through 'Things to do' section here on TripAdvisor, you will soon see if you can be your own guide.

if you want to gain insight, information and perspective we believe the price is worth the pain

>>>>

That's if your guide is really a professional guide and not a cheat

Sometimes to choose a good guide can be as hard as to choose good places to visit.

If you want the best guide for you then don't trust the references only. The things that some people liked are not always the same that you may like. Do your homework, contact the guide and aks him/her detail questions about his/her service/routes/prices/ and stuff like that. You will immediately feel if the guide is a good fit for you or not.

Enjoy your voyage to Russia!

Have you been yet? Did you take a tour. We are going next year and would be interested to hear how it went

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Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

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Home » Prices and Trans-Siberian Tickets » Trans-Siberian Railway Prices

Ticket prices for the Trans-Siberian Railway also depend on the current ruble exchange rate.

Is the Trans-Siberian Railway expensive?

Before starting on your Trans-Siberian Railway adventure you naturally want to know what the entire trip will cost. Although this sounds like a simple question, it is pretty difficult to answer. The Trans-Siberian Railway price of travel depends on the following factors:

• Which travel class do I want to use? The price for a first class ticket is about three times the price of a 3rd class ticket
• Am I willing to buy the tickets myself and assume responsibility for the organisation of the trip?
• How many stopovers do I want to make? The more breaks, the higher the total price.
• What sort of accommodation do I want? Will it be a luxury hotel or will a hostel dormitory be sufficient?
• What tours and excursions would I like to go on?
• What is the current exchange rate for rubles?

Basically, everything from a luxury to a budget holiday is available. If you buy yourself a 3rd Class nonstop ticket at the counter, a few hundred Euros will cover the price. All you will experience is a week on the Trans-Siberian train and will see nothing of the cities on the way. There is, however, any amount of room for upward expansion. Everyone makes different choices about which aspects they are willing to spend money on. I personally prefer to save money on accommodation and railcar class, visit as many cities and do as many trips as possible. To enable better classification of your travel expenses I have contrasted two typical traveler types. In the third column you can calculate the total cost of your own journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that these are only rough estimations and not exact prices.

The all-in costs seem fairly high at first. However, they cover everything and it is quite a long journey taking four weeks. Many people forget to consider that when looking at the list. We should also deduct the running costs for food and leisure at home. I think most visitors to this page will classify themselves somewhere between the two categories, that is around the € 2,000 – € 2,500 range. When comparing these prices with other travel packages, you get the impression that it is hardly worthwhile travelling individually on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Please keep in mind that most packages last no more than 14 days and you are herded like cattle through the most beautiful locations.

If you spend less time on the Trans-Siberian Railway you will, of course, pay less. I chose this particular travel length because I prefer not to do things by halves. If you fulfill your dream of travelling on the Trans-Siberian Railway, enjoy it and don’t rush things. But it’s up to you, of course. Try playing around with the form a bit to find the appropriate price for your trip.

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LGBTQIA+ Tours at Tate Britain

Tours are subject to cancellation, please check on the day

Duncan Grant, Bathing 1911. Tate. © Tate.

Join us for LGBTQIA+ tours at Tate Britain

The tours are aimed at exploring the Tate Collection through the lens of gender identity and sexuality.

Please check tours are running by calling the ticket desk on the day of the tour.

Tours meet at the top of the Rotunda Stairs at Tate Britain.

Accessibility

Portable chairs are available for these tours.

Tate Britain's Manton Entrance is on Atterbury Street. It has automatic sliding doors and there is a ramp down to the entrance with central handrails.

Accessible and standard toilets are located on the lower floor. Changing Places toilets are currently not available at Tate Britain.

To help plan your visit to Tate Britain, have a look at our visual story . It includes photographs and information of what you can expect from a visit to the gallery.

For more information before your visit:

Email [email protected]

Call +44 (0)20 7887 8888 – option 1 (daily 09.45–18.00)

Tate Britain

Meet at top of the Rotunda Stairs

30 March 2024 at 15.00–16.00

3 April 2024 at 15.00–16.00

7 April 2024 at 15.00–16.00

13 April 2024 at 15.00–16.00

20 April 2024 at 15.00–16.00

27 April 2024 at 15.00–16.00

5 May 2024 at 15.00–16.00

11 May 2024 at 15.00–16.00

18 May 2024 at 15.00–16.00

25 May 2024 at 15.00–16.00

Groups of more than five people should book a Private Tour .

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