Tate Modern in London is launching exclusive 'Before Hours' tours in partnership with GetYourGuide, allowing visitors to explore the gallery before it opens to the public. Starting over the upcoming bank holiday weekend, the hour-long small-group tours will be led by expert guides or curators and cost £69 per person. The initiative is part of GetYourGuide's 'All Art, No Crowds' campaign, which also includes similar early-access programs at MoMA in New York and the Vatican Museums, responding to growing traveler concerns about crowding and overtourism.
This matters because it reflects a broader trend in the art world toward managing visitor flow and enhancing the experience of iconic cultural institutions that face overwhelming popularity. By offering intimate, guided access before regular hours, Tate Modern is addressing overtourism while creating new revenue streams and deepening audience engagement with contemporary art. The program also signals how travel platforms like GetYourGuide are increasingly shaping museum access models, blending tourism with curated cultural experiences.