Every artwork has a story. And behind every painting or sculpture or work of art is an artist, who lived, or lives, a whole life outside of the work. These stories aren’t always clear, or examined in depth in a gallery or an exhibition. Plaques and descriptions provide some background and illustration, but the full story can escape you.
But for those who want to delve beneath the surface of the painting, guided tours do a wonderful job of peeling back the layers of history. A great guided tour, can bring works to life and enhance your appreciation of works you already loved. And that’s exactly what Tate is doing across its museums with their LGBTQIA+ tours. These tours add an oft-missing queer historical lens to the works within their venues.
Tate operates a regular programme of LGBTQIA+ tours across both Tate Britain and Tate Modern, and they are an absolute must to check out during LGBT History Month (and indeed all throughout the year). The tours are led by volunteer guides who have lived experience in the works and themes they are discussing. And they don’t just encompass contemporary works. Far from it. In fact, at Tate Britain the tour traces all the way back to the historic collection – across works from 1540-1910 – in addition to the contemporary collection (1930-present day).
The tours are an explicit attempt to “spotlight narratives of those less visible in Tate’s collection through the lens of gender identity and sexuality, as well as highlight intersectional artworks and artists”. They make up just a small portion of the Tate’s constant and ongoing efforts to amplify marginalized voices in the art world.
Credit: Tate
How to attend the LGBTQIA+ Tours at Tate Britain
Tickets are available on the day from the ticket desk (in person or by phone), on a first-come first-served basis. Each tour has a limited capacity, and they run once from 3-4PM on the day. Upcoming LGBTQIA+ tours are currently planned to run on the following dates:
- 31 May 2025 at 15.00–16.00
- 1 June 2025 at 15.00–16.00
- 4 June 2025 at 14.30–15.30
- 14 June 2025 at 15.00–16.00
- 21 June 2025 at 15.00–16.00
- 28 June 2025 at 15.00–16.00
- 6 July 2025 at 15.00–16.00
- 12 July 2025 at 15.00–16.00
- 26 July 2025 at 15.00–16.00
If more than five people wish to do a tour, it is recommended to book a private tour. Visitors are encouraged to double-check tours are running by calling the museums’ ticket desk on the day of the tour. Head here to find out more and to see the dates as they’re announced.