What’s On At The Tate Modern For Its 25th Birthday Weekender?

After many years squeezed under the same (albeit beautiful) roof as the Tate Britain in Millbank, the Tate Modern moved into its new home in the old Bankside Power Station in 2000 – just 25 years ago. ‘It’s hard to imagine London without Tate Modern, even though it’s only 25 years old,’ says Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. ‘In that short time, it has transformed London’s cultural landscape – cementing our city’s status as a global art capital, commissioning and celebrating emerging voices alongside world-renowned artists, and inspiring Londoners while welcoming millions of visitors from around the world.’

In celebration of a quarter of a century on Bankside, the Tate Modern is hosting a series of talks, tours and performances – all free of charge. As Sadiq says: ‘The 25th Birthday Weekender is a fantastic way to celebrate Tate’s extraordinary contribution to our city, as we continue working to build a better, more vibrant London for everyone.’ Here’s what you need to know.

What’s On At The Tate Modern’s Birthday Weekender 2025?

Roman Ondak, Measuring the Universe 2007. Performance at Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, 2010. (© Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam)

Music

Tate Modern is known for embracing DJs for its late night parties, and its Birthday Weekender is no different. The Turbine Halls, Tanks, Corner Bar and Terrace Bar will all host DJs all weekend, including a headline set on Friday night from BBC Radio 1 DJ Jaguar and Romy, and a rare takeover of Tanks by music collective CULTUR FM on Saturday.

On Friday, further sets are being curated by Jumbi Peckham, NiNE8 Collective and Radiate Festival, with Crystallmess, DAYTIMERS and Queer Bruk taking the reins on Saturday, and House of Dad in charge on Sunday.

Talks, Tours & Workshops

Special discussions and workshops are top of the agenda for Tate Modern’s Birthday Weekender, with highlights including:

• Panel discussions chaired by Tate Modern’s Director, Karin Hindsbo, and Chief Curator, Catherine Wood
• Artist talks by Nalini Malani and Robert Zhao Renhui
• A creative coding workshop led by tech experts at Goldsmiths and UAL
• A community conversation hosted by Tate Neighbours
• A hands-on interactive Make Studio as part of UNIQLO Tate Play
• Free workshops led by the team at Kazvare Made It in the summer pop-up UNIQLO Tate Shop

Louise Bourgeois,
Maman. (© Tate Photography)

Art

At the heart of the Tate Modern is, of course, the art: the gallery is home to the UK’s national collection of international modern and contemporary art, and it’s always free to visit. For the Birthday Weekender, there’s more to see than ever. Highlights include:

• Free entry to all four of Tate Modern’s current exhibitions for young people aged 16–25. This includes Leigh Bowery!, Electric Dreams, Anthony McCall: Solid Light and The Genesis Exhibition: Do Ho Suh.
• Louise Bourgeois’s iconic 10-metres-tall steel spider, Maman, standing in the heart of the Turbine Hall, where it was first unveiled 25 years ago.
• Roman Ondak’s collective performance, Measuring the Universe, which invites visitors to have their height marked on the Turbine Wall, creating a vast collective constellation across the weekend.
• An inspiring trail of 25 artworks guiding visitors across the gallery’s collection, spanning beloved classics to new arrivals from Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí to Monster Chetwynd and Pipilotti Rist.
• Performances and live tarot readings (first come, first served) in Meschac Gaba’s Museum of Contemporary African Art.

To elucidate the art for all, the galleries will also feature pop-up Ten Minute Talks, British Sign Language and Audio Description tours, and plenty of daily free tours for visitors of all ages.

Uniqlo Tate Shop (© Kalory Photo and Video)

Film

On Friday evening, a film screening will also take place in the Starr Cinema, free with a ticket. Titled ‘A Night of Dreams’ this is a curated selection of short films by Black female filmmakers Chel Jones-Alleyne, Dir. Kemi Anna, and AALIYAH MCKAY, and a spoken word performance by Sharlene Oola.

7.30pm, Friday 9 May; book here. 

Where & When?

The Tate Modern Birthday Weekender is running from 9 to 12 May 2025 on the Bankside (London SE1 9TG).

See the full line-up and book tickets for select events at tate.org.uk