Tate Modern, the world-renowned museum of modern and contemporary art, will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a four-day vibrant celebration from May 9 to 12, 2025. The milestone event invites the public to enjoy various free activities inspired by the museum’s collection, from live music and performances to art-making workshops and exclusive tours.
Karin Hindsbo, Director of Tate Modern, expressed the gallery’s transformative influence over the past quarter-century: “Tate Modern has made an incredible impact in just 25 years. It has exploded the canon of art history, transformed the public‘s relationship with contemporary art, and rewritten the rules for what an art museum can be. Our birthday weekend will be a wonderful chance to see what we do best and taste where we‘re going next – for free!”
Anniversary Celebrations – Highlights
Coinciding with the celebrations, Tate Modern will reveal a unique display of 25 seminal works from its history, taking visitors on a journey through its collection. Among the highlights is the return of Louise Bourgeois‘s monumental sculpture Maman. The 10-meter bronze spider, which first welcomed visitors to Tate Modern when it opened in 2000, will finally return to the Turbine Hall.
Other displays include Mark Rothko’s Seagram Murals from Tate St Ives and Dorothea Tanning’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, followed by its showcase in a significant Paris exhibition. Contemporary installations, such as Nalini Malani’s immersive multi-screen film work and Meschac Gaba’s interactive live tarot readings, will also feature prominently.
Catherine Wood, Director of Programme at Tate Modern, elaborated on the concept behind the display: “We wanted to celebrate our 25th anniversary with a capsule collection of 25 key works, which will lead visitors around the building on a journey from old favourites to discoveries. The selection showcases how art—and Tate Modern—has always pushed the boundaries and challenged norms, ultimately letting us all see the world through new eyes.”
New Exhibitions Reflecting Urgent Themes
To mark the anniversary, two new free exhibitions will open, spotlighting contemporary concerns and innovative artistic approaches.
A Year in Art: 2050 explores speculative visions of the future, juxtaposing works like Umberto Boccioni’s Futurist sculptures with Ayoung Kim’s computer-generated animation set in a futuristic Seoul.
Gathering Ground assembles international contemporary art that addresses the intersections of ecological crisis and social justice. The exhibition features work by Outi Pieski, Carolina Caycedo, and Edgar Calel and a participatory installation by Abbas Zahedi, specially commissioned for the anniversary.
A Landmark in Modern Art
Tate Modern‘s anniversary will be a birthday celebration of its past times and a reflection of its ongoing impact on the work of artists and society. Pop-up talks, workshops by UNIQLO Tate Play, and themed food and drink complete the visitor’s offer.
Since opening its doors in May 2000, Tate Modern has rewritten what it means for an art museum to function and purposefully push boundaries within an ever-changing art world, both past and present. Now, the 25th anniversary will continue this way, setting up an even more exciting future.