When Tate first opened its doors to the public in 1897 it had just ten galleries displaying a small collection of 245 pictures.
Today Tate is a six site museum (with four Gallery buildings, an additional storage facility and web site), with a Collection of 60,000 works of art.
During its lifetime Tate has had eight directors, welcomed millions of visitors and has been at the centre of many lively debates about modern art.
Through photographs, correspondence, gallery records, newspaper cuttings, and other material from Tate's Archive, online visitors are invited to explore
four important aspects of the Gallery's history: its architecture and buildings; the
people who have shaped the Gallery - from the directors who have steered it to the public for whom it exists;
Tate's role during the war years; and the spectacular flood of 1928 which
threatened the building and the Collection. |
Tate flood, works being removed
© Tate Archive 2003 |
