Visiting Tips
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Visit us all year round
Our galleries are not just for rainy days – visit us whatever the weather.
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We’re family-friendly
We are fully equipped for your visit. We have baby changing facilities at each site and all our galleries have cloakrooms with buggy parking, so don’t struggle!
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Start where you like...
You don’t have to be methodical, chronological or logical. Maybe your children can take the lead?
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...but take a map
All children like using maps to find their way around, and older ones are often interested to know why we’ve grouped works the way we have. Pick one up.
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Enjoy it
You don't need to be an expert to look at or talk about art. And don’t feel you have to ‘get it’ to enjoy it – take whatever you like from a piece.
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Your thoughts count
There are many ways to get a conversation going. When you go to a gallery you could try answering questions like:
What is the loudest smallest/largest funniest strangest work in this room?
Here are some other fun things you could do in any of our galleries.
Visiting a gallery doesn’t have to be a serious or boring event. Try these entertaining activities in any gallery with your family.
STRIKE A POSE
Secretly choose an art work with a person in it.
Look carefully at the pose. Move to a space in the room and try to recreate the pose. If you need help, ask someone in your group to give you a hand.
Can anyone in your group spot the art work you chose for your pose?
GIVE US A CLUE
Find a portrait in the gallery that looks like or reminds you of:
- someone in your group
- someone famous
- someone you all know (a neighbour or a friend)
Give your team members one clue to help them guess your chosen person (for example, if you have chosen your Granddad, you could say: “I love cricket and I love gardening”).
Take it in turn to ask a question about your chosen person.
Take your time
Feel free to stand or sit in front of a work for as long as you like or visit it more than once.
Make some noise
It’s OK to talk at Tate!
See it from their perspective
Get down to your child’s height and see what they see. The change in eye-level might make you think and feel differently.
You don’t have to do it all
There’s lots of things to see and do at our galleries, so try different things each time. Remember – under 12s can visit any temporary exhibition for free if they are with an adult. Also our collection displays do change regularly so you won’t see the same things year after year.
Try a change of pace
Take a break and have something to eat. Our cafés offer healthy – and fun – children’s menus and we provide complimentary crayons and activities.
Seek a souvenir
Visit our shops for a reminder of your day at Tate. We also sell a wide range of products for children, so you’ll find great gifts in there too.