Tate Modern - Members Room

Thanks for the suggestion of South Bank members' bar. I've been tempted to join. I've been a Tate member for a year, and the buggy traffic jams, wailing babies and lurching toddlers filling up all the tables and space drive me mental. I'm glad I'm not alone. I think they're taking advantage - I highly doubt they're there to see the work - they're certainly not in the members' room to contemplate or discuss it (and, actually, some of us are!).

Yes, the Southbank tip sounds like one I'll follow up, thanks for that. I've no particular problem with kids per se as I guess I used to be one, but I would have hoped for a little more sense of the unique to the members bar than the creche it started becoming. Sounds like it's still the same then. Monday mornings was always the best time for peaceful contemplation.

If I take our baby into the Tate, or the Tate members' room, I do it in the week. Far fewer precious dahlings. Honestly, on a weekend you can't move for them. It's not healthy for children; they can't hear themselves suck with all that braying.

You really should try going to the Tate on a weekday. Galleries and members' room are generally nice and empty. In fact, one of the main groups of people who seem to support galleries during the week are people with babies in prams. But you're right; they're probably not mentally capable of anything like sehrious ahrt criticism. Pathetic drooling breeders. Why do they even allow children in London, now that it's all a smokeless zone?

Well at least the little ones don't have to wait outside with a bag of crisps and a bottle of Vimto nowadays when then go out with Mum and Dad!

I always rather enjoy that look of total confusion and 'Are you going to say something to me?' stare you get when you catch the eye of a little one standing directly in front of you mid sip.

Being serious, when my family were little and we lived outside London, there was no where like the lovely venues we have nowadays in London for families and Mums at home with tinies to socalise.
Apart from the cost of going out, there were hardly any places that you were welcome with pushchairs, apart from the Wimpy Bar.
It can be very isolating to be at home with little ones, so if you are can afford the prices of refreshments and the price of Membership to the Tate Members Bar, it is another great meeting place for Mums and tinies (and Dads) in s.e.1
Wouldn't it be nice if The Tate could find space to accomodate those members not accompanied by little ones who just want to be able to chill out.
It would be great if locals could have reduced entrance/membership fees too!

nomad wrote:

Being serious, when my family were little and we lived outside London, there was no where like the lovely venues we have nowadays in London for families and Mums at home with tinies to socalise.
Apart from the cost of going out, there were hardly any places that you were welcome with pushchairs, apart from the Wimpy Bar.
It can be very isolating to be at home with little ones, so if you are can afford the prices of refreshments and the price of Membership to the Tate Members Bar, it is another great meeting place for Mums and tinies (and Dads) in s.e.1
Wouldn't it be nice if The Tate could find space to accomodate those members not accompanied by little ones who just want to be able to chill out.
It would be great if locals could have reduced entrance/membership fees too!

The Tate Members' Room is not supposed to be a parents' social club, it's supposed to be an area for members to relax in after visiting an exhibition or viewing the galleries. Treating it as the former is disrespectful to other members.

Where's debrajoan when you need her?

Bungle wrote:

The Tate Members' Room is not supposed to be a parents' social club, it's supposed to be an area for members to relax in after visiting an exhibition or viewing the galleries.

Do me a favour, and find me the bit where it says that, would you? It doesn't say that in any of the membership info that I've seen. Or is it possible that you've got your own dreamworld mixed up with the real world?

Who knows what small people see? I took my very small children and now my grandchildren to galeries since they were two, of course they dont see with MY eyes (jaded, influenced by all sorts of other people's judgements etc) and that's what's good about it. Carry on taking the kids I say.