Travel bucket list idea:
Tate St Ives
St Ives, Cornwall, United Kingdom (UK)
© Kirstin Prisk
Last updated: 28 April, 2024
Tate St Ives owes its existence to the St Ives School, centred first around two artists and officers who had survived the Western Front, then Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, Bernard Leach and co, who turned the West Cornish coastal town into an international centre of the modernist movement.
The exhibitions showcase the work of these artists as well as contemporary artists in residence – and the views from the top-floor café are knockout.
Don’t expect anything with the scope and scale of the Tate galleries in London; this is a tiny gallery by comparison. Check the website in advance to see what exhibitions are on.
Especially for the under 13s
The museum produces an ‘art trail’ for families to follow around St Ives, explaining about the famous artists that lived and worked there, and including some fun activities along the way. Available from the front desk.
Logistics
Price from: £11
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 15+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
The gallery is just behind Porthmeor Beach, a short walk from the town centre.
Book tickets on the website before you go. Printed guides are available in the galleries. Tea, cakes and views are on offer at the top floor café.
When to do it
The museum is open all year round, seven days a week.
