Bankside Power Station

Bankside Power Station stands on the south bank of the River Thames in the Bankside area of Southwark, London. It began supplying electricity in 1891 and continued until 1981. The station also served as a training centre for electrical and mechanical apprentices from across the country. Since 2000, the building has housed Tate Modern, one of the world’s leading modern art museums. The original station was built at Meredith Wharf and supplied power to the City of London and parts of north Southwark. The station’s early equipment included Brush arc-lighters and alternators installed by the Brush Electrical Engineering Company. By 1900, it had expanded with new generating sets from Allis-Westinghouse and Musgrave-Westinghouse. The plant grew further in the 1920s with a new boiler house and oil-fired boilers. At its peak in the 1930s, the station had a total capacity of 89 MW. Complaints about smoke and grit led to fines and later improvements. Visitors to Tate Modern explore vast galleries in the former power station’s turbine hall and boiler rooms. The building’s industrial scale remains visible in its high ceilings and exposed brickwork. Large windows overlook the Thames, linking the space’s past with the river’s present. The Turbine Hall hosts major installations by contemporary artists. The galleries display works from the 20th century to today. The power station’s history shapes the museum’s identity, blending art and industry.