Absolutely free to all, the Tate Modern's permanent collection is one of the rare that is practically in its entirety displayed to the public at all times (unlike the Pompidou or the MoMA who have immense storage spaces). Presented and organized by themes rather than movement or time period, this rather original curational disposition enables visitors to have a new outlook on the classics, for example a Claude Monet can hang next to a Jackson Pollock because both lean towards the abstract and focus on process, while a Marcel Duchamp can be placed near Pop Art works as both deal with states of … (read more)

Absolutely free to all, the Tate Modern's permanent collection is one of the rare that is practically in its entirety displayed to the public at all times (unlike the Pompidou or the MoMA who have immense storage spaces). Presented and organized by themes rather than movement or time period, this rather original curational disposition enables visitors to have a new outlook on the classics, for example a Claude Monet can hang next to a Jackson Pollock because both lean towards the abstract and focus on process, while a Marcel Duchamp can be placed near Pop Art works as both deal with states of flux. These displays also make it possible to illuminate certain rather esoteric or underrated works, for example in the 'Poetry and Dream' display Picasso, Dali, Miro, Beuys are questioned through, as well as nourish the works of newer talents such as Zoe Leonard, Miroslaw Balka or Pepe Espaliú.

The collection is as diverse as it is big, and while it may not hold the best of any established modern artist it has them all. This, in addition to the liveliness of its space as well as the originality of its displays make it an undeniably must have experience for any art lover, and that will potentially change your understanding of 'what is art.'

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