Own a global icon!

Tate Modern is a complex building and one with an interesting history. It’s a building that has been transformed to fulfill the needs of one of the world’s great galleries.

There has been a power station on the Bankside site since the 1890s when it was known as the City of London Electric Lighting Co. The existing structure was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott in 1945-7 and as Bankside Power Station it produced electricity from oil for almost thirty years.

During that time it became an iconic landmark and much loved by the people of London. With the 1970s oil crisis, however it became increasingly uneconomical to produce electricity from oil, and environmental and social conditions influenced how Bankside Power Station was perceived.

In 1981 the power station stopped generating electricity and it stood dormant for almost twenty years.

In the early 1990s the Tate purchased the site and, with help from the Millennium Fund and both private and public investors, embarked on a monumental project to convert the power station into a gallery. An architectural competition was proposed in July 1994, and was won by the architects Herzog & de Meuron. Then the transformation began. The new Tate Modern opened its doors to the public in 2000.

Tate Modern’s vision to be at the forefront of the visitor experience when it comes to interacting with works of art took another brave step when they again commissioned Herzog & de Meuron to design an extension to the existing building. The extension was to accommodate performance and installation art. The new space incorporates the underground Tanks (which used to store oil) and a dynamic new brick structure, the Blavatnik Building.

The Model

Beautifully boxed, the Tate Modern kit comes with clear, easy to follow instructions and is the ideal gift for that architect friend, history buff, or even for you!

If you'd rather enjoy the model without building it, you can purchase a professionally built (Pre-assembled). Go to our Finished Model page for more information.

Keep your model in pristine, dust-free condition with an acrylic case specifically designed for your model.  Go to our Acrylic Cases page for photos and ordering information.

Product Details

Each kit comes complete with all required parts and clear, easy to follow instructions. All you’ll need to provide is a good quality wood glue, a knife to remove individual parts from their sheets, and a flat work surface to construct the model.

 Materials: Aspen, American Cherry, Birch, MDF and Acrylic
— Architectural Scale Model
— Scale: 1:1200
— Recommended Age: 15 & Up
— Difficulty Level: Intermediate
— Assembly Time: 5 Hours
— Completed Dimensions: 10"L x 6.25"W x 3.5"H
— Some Tools Required (Not Included)
— Instructions Included

Model by Little Building Co.  Click here to learn more about the artist behind this fine model.