Tate Gallery Restaurant

First time visiting Tate St Ives whilst on holiday in Cornwall. Our children loved the sketchbooks and free pencils - this certainly kept them busy whilst working through the gallery spaces. We loved the view from the top over to the beach. Compared to Tate Modern London (our nearest and usual place visit) it felt much smaller and required far less time to navigate. It was still a good experience, but it is free in London and costs us both as adults to enter.

The Tate St Ives, a beautiful building of curves, glass, mirrors and terraces, overlooks Porthmeor Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The gallery has a laid back vibe, full of shifting light and shadows, so perfect for a morning or afternoon immersion in art and the environment. It exhibits several works by Lanyon. The Tate St Ives also manages the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, a short walk from the gallery. The gallery also houses a cafe with both indoor and outdoor seating. The Tate St Ives is worth a visit just to look at the sea and benefit from moments of calm to refresh and renew the spirit.

Not really a fan of “Art” but the daughter is! Been to St Ives for many years and never been here, thought we’d give it it a go! Kids up to 18 are free which I think is really good, 2 x adults £21 which was great value given the best view of Porthmeor I’ve ever seen is from the Cafe! I am cultured (I think) even though I’m a northerner and some of the best pieces of art I’ve photographed and listed on this review. Well worth a visit.

A scenic and calm space to enjoy modern art on your day out in St Ives. It's a chill distraction from the busy tourist magnet that is the town, but also an enjoyable building to explore and absorb the various galleries of work by many different local and global artists. Booking is easy to do online and is recommended to be done in advance. Once you're inside, it's a typical contemporary white-walled setting which can be perceived as being sterile but it works fine here. There were plenty of colourful paintings and displays that were mostly abstract or themed based on certain ideals and subject matter, such as modern spirituality and regional or community importance. The best exhibition here at summer 2023 was by the Casablanca Art School, which featured works by artists highlighting the artistic rebirth following Moroccan independence. Also, Barbara Hepworth, Partou Zia, Hera Büyüktaşcıyan and more. You'll find diversity, historical significance and stories expressed in the art. It features a lot of Cornwall-related and Cornish inspired art that echoes the local community and landscape - as well as lands away from the UK. Many people who have visited Tate Modern in London will check this out of curiosity and familiarity, and while it's an enjoyable visit, it's definitely not the same in scale or as rich in quality. In comparison to other Tate buildings and museums in general, it certainly doesn't stand out in a major way. That's a subjective thing anyway. There's a great view of the beach and coastline from a seating area with massive windows. A nice cafe is inside too for a quick snack with a view before you press on. There isn't a dedicated car park but parking is easily available nearby in the form of; Porthmeor beach car park, Barnoon long stay car park (5 minute walk). As with a lot of St Ives roads, there's rarely any disabled parking spots for blue-badge holders, just a few.

Although this is one of the smaller Tate galleries, it does have many interesting art pieces. They also have 'seasons' of themed exhibitions of artwork from all over the world. Exhibits from more well known artists such as Miro, Picasso, Ben Nicholson and Barbara Hepworth are on display. A valuable asset for the local area.