5 tips for visiting Tate Britain with kids

1. Talk about artists before going
The evening before our last visit to Tate Britain we read the stories about JMW Turner and Henry Moore in Vincent’s Starry Night and Other Stories: A children’s history of art by Michael Bird (Laurence King, £19.95), as we were planning on focusing on these two galleries in the museum that time. For a picture book option, I would recommend the series about Katie by James Mayhew when introducing children to art, and Katie and the British Artists (Orchard Books, £5.99), for example, is relevant when learning about Constable and Turner.

2. Make the journey to Tate Britain easy
It can be surprisingly straightforward to park in the streets surrounding Tate Britain on weekends, and when arriving at 10am on a Saturday we found free parking outside on Atterbury Street. The nearest tube station is Pimlico Station, which is 600 metres from the museum, and buses like bus 88, C10 and 87 stop near the entrances. If you’re planning to cover both Tate Modern and Tate Britain on the same day, the Tate Boat runs around every 20-30 minutes and takes visitors between the two museums from Millbank Pier, which is also a stop for other river boat services.

3. Get ready to sketch
When we visited Tate Britain, there were several easels with sketch paper placed around the galleries, and we had a go at sketching a Henry Moore sculpture (see photo of easel and Henry Moore sculpture above). I think sketching makes for a brilliant way to get children excited about art museum visits.

4. Explore family art activities
Tate Britain has a busy programme for families, with both free activity packs and workshops. On our weekend visit, there were free drop-in photo-collage sessions in Tate Britain’s Making Studio, and opportunities to relax with storytelling in the Manton Studio, where there is a variety of children’s books to read.

5. Discover the unique children’s shop
I also love going to museum shops, and Tate Britain boasts a wonderful children’s museum shop space near the main entrance. Visitors can expect a selection of interesting children’s books, pocket money toys and London-themed items that could make brilliant presents and souvenirs from a day out.

Tags: Art, Art gallery, Family attractions, Family day out, Museum, Tate Britain