The history of Tate Britain
In 1897 the museum, then called Tate Gallery of British Arts, opened its doors. The rich art collector and millionaire, Sir Henry Tate, the inventor of the sugar cube, had decided to donate to the British state his valuable collection, which included 60 paintings of famous British from the Victorian period painters.
He also wanted to have a suitable house built for it, his only condition being that he be provided with suitable land for it. He got it on the banks of the Thames in Millbank Pimlico London and hired the renowned architect Sidney R. J. Smith to build him a neoclassical museum building in which his paintings could be appropriately presented and there was still room for more paintings. N
ith donations and purchases, more works of art from other eras and international artists were gradually added to the collection. The museum was bursting at the seams and many works could no longer be exhibited publicly. Therefore, at the end of the 1990s, it was decided to divide the museum. In June 2000, the Tate Gallery of Modern Art was opened in the building of the former Bankside Power Station on the other bank of the Thames, along with two other Tate museums in Liverpool and in Cornwall, and since then Tate Britain has once again been the sole preserve of British artists.
What can be seen at Tate Britain?
Tate Britain features fine British art from the 1500s to the present. In addition to 3,500 paintings, there are also many sculptures, etchings, woodcuts and prints on display. The exhibits are arranged according to themes and there are always new hangings and special exhibitions on individual topics. Tate Britain is best known for its collection of Romantic Pre-Raphaelites, Turner's world-famous landscapes and the works of Thomas Gainsborough, William Hogarth and Joshua Reynolds. In addition to the exhibits, Tate Britain has several gift stores and a restaurant. The museum is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm.
