Tate Britain
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
London
What it’s like
Free wander through five centuries of British art, with the world's biggest Turner collection and free tours four times a day.
Nobody's charging you at the door here. Walk in and you've got five hundred years of British art in front of you, from the Pre-Raphaelites through to contemporary work, and the Turner collection alone is the largest anywhere in the world. If you've got a kid who likes a picture with a story, the Pre-Raphaelite rooms are the ones to save for last, they tend to land better than the abstract stuff with younger eyes.
Free guided tours run at 12, 1, 2 and 3, and they don't need booking, so you can just turn up and tag onto one if the timing works. That's a decent way to stop a gallery visit turning into a slow shuffle past things nobody's looking at. The main collection needs no ticket at all, though temporary exhibitions do ask you to book ahead, and members skip that queue.
One thing to know before you set off: the Millbank entrance is shut for building work until 2027. Worth building that into your plan if you're coming by bus and expecting to walk straight in the front.
The Djanogly café does homemade salads and pastries if you need to refuel partway round, and there's a proper baby change and accessible toilets on site. Wheelchairs and walkers are free to borrow but they'd rather you booked ahead, same with the mobility scooters. Last entry's 5.30pm with galleries starting to close at 5.50, so don't leave it too late in the afternoon if you want a proper look round.
Facilities
Need to know
- Last entry
- 17.30, galleries start closing 17.50
- Booking
- Free collection entry, no booking needed
- Parking
- 5 accessible spaces for disabled visitors (book 24+ hours ahead)
- Food
- Djanogly Café on lower floor serving homemade salads, pastries and locally sourced beer
- Wheelchairs
- Free wheelchair and walker hire (book in advance or ask on arrival)
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs only
- Getting there by bus or train
- Thames Clipper riverboat (RB2 every 30 mins)
- Free guided tours run at 12, 1, 2 and 3 daily, no need to book
- Millbank entrance is shut until 2027, use Manton instead
- Open every day of the year except 24 to 26 December
- Baby change and changing places facilities are on site
Plan your visit
Is it free to get in?
The main collection is free for everyone, no ticket needed. Temporary exhibitions do need booking, though members go free without one.
Are kids free too?
Up to four children aged 11 and under go free per parent or guardian.
What are the opening hours?
10am to 6pm every day. Last entry is 5.30pm and galleries start closing at 5.50.
Do we need to book?
Not for the free collection, you can just walk in. Exhibitions are the exception, book those ahead.
Which entrance do we use?
Manton entrance, not Millbank. Millbank's closed for construction until 2027.
Is there parking?
There are 5 accessible spaces for disabled visitors but you need to book those 24 hours ahead. Otherwise it's pay-and-display street parking on weekdays, free at weekends and after 6.30pm.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
Yes, wheelchairs and walkers are free to hire, best booked in advance or ask on arrival. Mobility scooters are free too but need advance booking.
What about food?
The Djanogly café on the lower floor does homemade salads, pastries and locally sourced beer.
Can we bring the dog?
Assistance dogs only.
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