Herzog & de Meuron's conversion of a Bankside power station into Britain's temple of modern art. The Turbine Hall — 35 metres high, 155 metres long — hosts installations that use the full vertical drama. Permanent collection is free and exceptional: Rothko, Warhol, Picasso. The riverside location and Millennium Bridge approach are part of the experience.
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Insider Intel
Start at Level 3 or 5 for the permanent collection — the thematic arrangement (rather than chronological) changes how you see the work. The Turbine Hall installation is always worth seeing. The viewing terrace on Level 10 has one of London's best free panoramas. The gift shop is legitimately excellent for art books.
Weekday morning for the permanent collection with space to breathe. Friday and Saturday evenings (open until 22:00) for a different atmosphere — fewer families, more couples. The cafe on Level 6 is worth the stop for the view.
Opened in 2000, expanded with the Blavatnik Building in 2016. The permanent collection is free; special exhibitions require tickets and sell out. The building was Bankside Power Station until 1981 — the transformation is one of the great adaptive reuse projects in Europe. Walk across the Millennium Bridge from St Paul's for the full approach. Can be genuinely crowded on weekends during blockbuster exhibitions.