From Warhol to Banksy, explore the world-famous Tate Modern museum, a converted power station on the banks of the River Thames, followed by a stroll through the creative hub of London’s Southbank for stunning views, spectacular Brutalist architecture and London’s best street art.
On this private walking tour, you will:
- Begin your tour at the Millennium Bridge with stunning views along the river;
- Make your way to the Tate Modern, and enjoy an expertly guided 1.5-hour tour of this famous treasure trove of contemporary art;
- Admire the museum building, a converted power station famous for its 99m tall brick tower, and enter the vast and dramatic turbine hall;
- See world-famous art - paintings, sculptures, installations, performances, and videos - by a wide range of artists, including Picasso, Rothko, Warhol, Dali, Chiriko, Beuys, Fontana, Hirst, Barlow, Gallagher and more;
- Enjoy a stroll along the River Thames, with stunning views of London, towards the Southbank Centre;
- Explore Europe’s largest centre for the arts, a vast and lively complex of art and performance venues, famous for its Brutalist architecture;
- Visit the colourful Undercroft of Southbank, the birthplace of British skateboarding and political street art, and see the street art on Hungerford Bridge;
- Walk towards Waterloo to see the Covid pandemic tribute to the NHS superheroes by famous muralist Lionel Stanhope;
- Head beneath the streets and rumbling platforms of London’s Waterloo Station to discover Southbank’s hidden treasure trove of street art and graffiti: the Leake Street Arches and Street Art tunnels started by none other than Banksy in 2008;
London's Southbank has always had a salubrious reputation for divergent arts and creativity. Historically it was home to munitions factories and overcrowded industrial slums. The area was heavily bombed during the Blitz, but in the last decades has undergone a total regeneration.
It is also famous for its counter-cultural vibe, its street art and graffiti, and urban creative engagement programs across the arts including theatre, dance, poetry, writing, art and sculpture, at the various buildings within the Southbank Centre, with its magnificent Brutalist architecture.
Designed by celebrated British architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (also known for the Battersea Power Station and the iconic red telephone box) the Tate Modern is as famous for its architecture as for the impressive collection of contemporary art within. Your tour guide will show you the highlights of this vast space, including works by world-renowned artists including Andy Warhol, Lucio Fontana, Joseph Beuys’ Picasso, and many more.
The second part of the tour takes you on a fascinating and colourful stroll along the river Thames with spectacular views of London landmarks, towards the Southbank Centre. Soak up the lively atmosphere, admire the spectacular Brutalist architecture, and head below to the Undercroft, a Skate Space that has been going for 40 years and is covered in a mass of graffiti and that has taken on iconic status as part of London’s counter-culture.
You’ll also see some fabulous street art on the Hungerford Bridge before walking south towards Waterloo, via the superhero Covid tribute to the NHS by celebrated muralist Lionel Stanhope.
Lastly, you will visit the hidden gem of London’s street art scene… Below the rumbling platforms of Waterloo Train Station, you will find the Leake Street Arches and 300-metre graffiti tunnel, the longest, biggest street art space in London. As an active, free space it is an ever-changing canvas with artists working there every day… some creations last months, others days, or even hours! It is an incredibly vibrant corner of the city and a testament to the years of hard work and cultural regeneration that have gone into making Southbank one of the most trailblazing artistic hubs in the world.