Tate Lates: Two Free Friday Nights (Different Fridays)

There are two separate Tate Lates happening in London right now, and they're on different Fridays. Most people mix them up, show up on the wrong night, and miss out. Here's how to actually catch both.

What you get

Free entry to Tate Modern Lates on the last Friday of every month (except December), 6pm–10pm. Free entry to Late at Tate Britain on the first Friday of every month, 6pm–10pm. Both include DJ sets, live music, performances, and workshops themed around current exhibitions. Food and drink are available on-site for purchase. The permanent collection stays free to view all night. Tate Modern is at Bankside, London SE1 9TG (nearest tubes: Southwark, Blackfriars). Tate Britain is at Millbank, London SW1P 4RG (nearest tubes: Pimlico, Vauxhall).

How to get it

1. Go to tate.org.uk and find the Lates events page. 2. Booking opens at 1pm on specific dates, set a reminder because slots fill fast. 3. Choose which Friday works for you (first of the month for Tate Britain, last of the month for Tate Modern). 4. Book your free ticket online. You'll need to show your confirmation on arrival. 5. If you're 16–25, register for free Tate Collective membership beforehand, it unlocks additional perks.

What the TikTok didn't mention

• Go early or prepare to queue. These fill up properly. If you arrive after 7:30pm, you're waiting 20+ minutes to get in. The first hour is quieter.
• Tate Modern's extended Friday hours are different from Lates. Every Friday and Saturday from 6pm–9pm (starting 26 September 2025), the galleries stay open late without the events. That's not a Lates night, don't confuse it. Lates have DJs and live music. Regular late opening doesn't.
• The food's decent but pricey. Expect to pay London prices. The bars are better value than the food stalls. Grab a drink, sit by the Thames at Tate Modern, watch the light change on the river.

The catch

You can't just turn up. Advance booking is required, and slots genuinely sell out. If you forget to book and decide to go on the night, you won't get in. December is skipped entirely at Tate Modern, so plan around that.

Both are free and genuinely worth the booking faff, the exhibitions are solid, the crowds are better than daytime, and you'll see people actually enjoying art instead of rushing through with a backpack.