Photos: Christine Matthews , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Katie Chan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 ell brown, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo credits
Photos: Christine Matthews , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 Katie Chan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 ell brown, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Tate Modern from the turbine hall ramp
Your local guide
Liam O'Sullivan
View profile
Highlights
- A power station turned gallery
- A ramp built for enormous installations
- A bridge aligned with a cathedral dome
- Industrial architecture repurposed
- A deliberately planned river view
About this tour
This session looks at Tate Modern's building as much as its art, starting on the turbine hall's entrance ramp and finishing on the riverside terrace facing St Paul's. It covers the building's industrial past as a power station and the deliberate alignment between the bridge and the dome across the water. It suits viewers interested in architecture and urban planning as much as gallery-going.
We start on the ramp with the building's history, then move outside for the river view and the bridge alignment. Questions about current installations in the hall come up when there is something notable on show. I close with a note on the quietest hours to visit if you plan to go inside yourself.
It suits art and architecture enthusiasts who want context before or after a visit. It also suits anyone who enjoys a striking river view as part of the session.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of London before heading out.
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Turbine hall ramp 21 min
The camera follows the sloped ramp down into the old turbine hall, and I explain how the building's power station origins shaped the huge open space now used for large-scale installations.
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Riverside terrace 21 min
Outside on the terrace, you see the Millennium Bridge lining up directly with St Paul's dome across the water, and I point out how deliberately that alignment was planned.
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Your questions 9 min
Time to ask anything about London: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 4 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Afternoon tea and Shoreditch, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in London time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 9 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through London, showing you Turbine hall ramp and Riverside terrace live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need any background in art?
No. The guide explains what matters as you go, whatever you already know or do not.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We connect on a video call on the long entrance ramp, which is open to the public and gives the best view of the hall's scale.
Times shown in London time (GMT)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Thu 19 Nov · 9 seats left From 26,00 €
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