A brutalist icon on the South Bank where contemporary art feels physical, bold and public. Hayward Gallery is one of London’s best places for exhibitions that take over your senses — not just your eyes.
At Hayward Gallery, expect exhibitions that often work with scale, perception, architecture, the body, light, sound, politics or immersive installation. This is a place where contemporary art can feel intense, theatrical and very present.
You may experience:
- Large-scale contemporary art exhibitions
- Installation, sculpture, photography, film and immersive work
- Site-responsive projects
- Public art across the Southbank Centre
- The HENI Project Space
- A strong riverside cultural route with Tate Modern, National Theatre and the Thames nearby
Don’t separate the exhibition from the building. At Hayward, the concrete, staircases, terraces and South Bank atmosphere are part of the artwork’s impact.
About
Hayward Gallery is part of the Southbank Centre, London’s major riverside arts complex, located on Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX, close to Waterloo, the Thames, the National Theatre and Royal Festival Hall. It is not a permanent-collection museum; it is a space for major temporary exhibitions, installations and contemporary art projects.
The building is central to the experience. Opened in the late 1960s, Hayward is one of London’s most recognisable brutalist art spaces — raw concrete, terraces, strong geometry, and a direct relationship with the energy of the South Bank.
Worth the trip
Yes — especially if you want contemporary art in London with more edge than polish.
What makes Hayward Gallery special is its intensity. It does not feel like a neutral museum box. It feels architectural, urban and alive — a place where exhibitions can become physical experiences.
For Artlovers, Hayward is worth including because it shows London’s contemporary culture at its most public: art, architecture, performance, river life and city energy all colliding on the South Bank.
© The Hayward Gallery
