I visited the new Tate Liverpool + RIBA North to find out what it’s really like inside

The iconic Tate Liverpool art gallery on the Royal Albert Dock has closed its doors until 2025 to undergo a near £30 million refurbishment, which will include a new public ‘art hall’, new windows being opened up and more social spaces.

The renovation will take around two years and, in the interim, Tate Liverpool has teamed up with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to open a new temporary venue on Mann Island.

Housed at RIBA North, Tate say they are working together to provide exhibitions, family activities, tours and talks inspired by their unique collections. But what is the new venue really like? And how much of those collections is actually on display? We headed over to Mann Island to see for ourselves.

The first and most obvious thing to note is that the new venue on Liverpool's waterfront is considerably smaller than Tate’s regular four-storey building on the Albert Dock. Visitors should not expect a comparable experience as Tate Liverpool + RIBA North comprises just two compact galleries.

The galleries at Tate Liverpool + RIBA North

Gallery One is a meandering but compact space. The larger of the two galleries, it houses the collaboration's debut exhibition: Long Life, Low Energy: Designing for a Circular Economy. It is an exposition from RIBA about the climate emergency and its relation to architecture. It uses imagery, text and video to highlight milestone structures and buildings in the journey towards a global reduction of carbon emissions and includes an exhibit on the remodelling of The Old Library in Tuebrook, Liverpool.

Gallery Two is a much smaller room and currently houses the RIBA Stirling Prize 2023, which is the highest accolade in architecture. The exhibition consists of the six short-listed entries and the winning design - The John Morden Centre by Mæ.

It is no real surprise that both galleries feature architectural displays considering the Tate's location at RIBA North. However, both exhibitions will change to something new in the first two weeks of January.

The cafe and shop at Tate Liverpool + RIBA North

Tate Liverpool’s much-loved shop and cafe have also been transported to the new venue, but in miniature form. They are the first thing you see when entering Tate Liverpool + RIBA North.

The shop and reception are one and the same thing and consist of a small display and wall gallery in an open plan, ground floor area that also houses the compact cafe. There are about eight tables in the airy and welcoming diner and I can certainly vouch for the quality of the Earl Grey tea. The cafe also serves afternoon tea, sandwiches, soup and toasties.

Kids and activities at Tate Liverpool + RIBA North

There is a mezzanine-style learning space on the first floor, next to the galleries, which is an area decked out with seating, books and activities for children. The current theme is ‘draw, explore and create with Mildred the Gallery Cat’. Inspired by the children’s book character, there is a free activity book, containing games and challenges, such as recreating a portrait by Pablo Picasso in dot-to-dot.

Is Tate Liverpool + RIBA North worth a visit?

Although incomparable to Tate Liverpool's regular venue, I really enjoyed my quick visit to the new location at RIBA North. It is compact and concise but has a very welcoming feel and is well worth trip to Mann Island and a visit to the cafe. You certainly couldn't spend a whole day there, as you could at the Albert Dock location, but it’s a lovely space to while away an hour or two.

It would probably be best to make the visit part of a wider trip. The Open Eye Gallery is just next door.

If you are not a fan of architecture, then it would be wise to wait until after January 7 and January 14, when the exhibits in Gallery One and Gallery Two are changed.

It is all still free and the toilets are spectacularly clean.