Tate Modern Tour: A Guided Crash Course

A converted power Victorian power station, sets the stage for one of the world’s richest collections of contemporary art
From US$522 privately
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Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
Tate Modern
Photos & Highlights
  • Immerse yourself in the rich history of modern art as you trace its development from its 20th century origins
  • Led by an art historian or artist
Select a date
Tour Description
The Tate Modern is one of the best modern art museums in the world, also featuring some of the world's most innovative contemporary art exhibitions. Our Tate Modern Tour, led by an art historian or curator, is a rich, immersive experience for anyone looking to track the development of art throughout the modern age, from its origins in the early 20th centuries, through surrealism, postmodernism, and up to today.

Tate Modern Tour

We will begin by discussing the history of Tate Modern, particularly the conversion and opening of the gallery in a disused power station in 2000. We will also look into the history of the area, Southwark, and its historical associations with entertainment and industry. Once inside, we will spend some time in the Turbine Hall, which usually features a current installation, before moving into the permanent collection. As we move around the gallery, we will discuss Tate Modern's ground-breaking hang, which challenges the convention of displaying art chronologically and is instead organized around four wings, each of which is centered on a seminal artistic moment of the twentieth century.

A Thematic Approach

As we work our way through twentieth-century art we will discuss why certain styles and movements proliferated at this time and examine different artists and works in relation to not only the artistic tradition but also the socio-political climate of the period. We will begin with early challenges to traditional modes of painting, focusing on Cubism, which was pioneered by Picasso and Braque and which questioned the way in which we perceive things, alongside the works of the colorist Henri Matisse, who wanted his art to have the effect of a good armchair on a tired businessman. Tate Modern has one of the finest Surrealist collections in the world; in relation to works by Dali, Magritte, and Miro, we will discuss the beginnings of the movement in the 1920s, its attempts to produce an art of the unconscious, and its ability to question our ideas about reality. Giacometti's sculptures of slender figures will begin an inquiry into how the trauma of World War I and World War II affected modes of representing the human figure as well as the relationship between art and humanity.


Want to see another seminal London museum? Try our National Gallery Tour.

This Is Not a Pipe

We will also look at Marcel Duchamp's radical use of unconventional materials and ready-made objects in the early 1900s and his influence on mid-twentieth century artists such as Andy Warhol, who represents pop art and how it challenged consumer culture; Joseph Beuys, who represents conceptual art and its emphasis of idea over object; and Donald Judd, who represents minimalism and its strongly abstracted works using modern, industrial materials. Last but not least, we will examine works by contemporary practitioners, considering not only their context, but also their place in the trajectory of twentieth-century art.

Take Aways

At the end of our time together we will have a deeper understanding of 20th century art and the work of several practicing contemporary artists. 
Experts
Tim Tim
Historian
Barry Barry
Local Guide
Chris Chris
Local Guide
Alan Alan
Archaeologist
Cindy Cindy
Local Guide
Aaron Aaron
Archaeologist
Kate Kate
Local Guide
Sarah Sarah
Local Guide
Karen Karen
Local Guide
Lawrence Lawrence
Anthropologist
Maurizio Maurizio
Art Historian
Amber Amber
Local Guide
Sean Sean
Local Guide
Where You'll Start
(4.83) 66 Reviews

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Maurizio gave us the perfect introduction to the Tate Modern. We began our tour with a detailed discussion of the building, as well as the history of the Tate Modern. Maurizio really leaned into our family's areas of interest -- he took cues from our discussions, and, based on our feedback, specifically directed us through a number of rooms and towards a number of pieces in the In the Studio, Materials and Objects, and Media and Networks displays. However, Maurizio ensured that we got a flavor of the full Tate Modern Collection and the museum overall. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Tate Modern with Maurizio.
As previously reviewed we had thought Cindy’s tour of The Kews was excellent. Having said that, we are a bit of a loss of words as to her tour of the Tate as it just was a superior tour. Cindy brought the Tate alive and very understandable to and for us. It was very memorable and so thankful that we could have a person of her knowledge and expertise guide us.
We loved our morning Crash Course at the Tate Modern. Lawrence gave us a great overview of the collection and he is so entertaining and extremely knowledgeable. We enjoyed the highlights and appreciated his favorites. Great fun!!!

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