The expanded Tate Modern gallery attracts crowds not only for its exhibitions

London - The well-known London gallery Tate Modern, which has become a huge magnet for locals and tourists alike right after opening more than 16 years ago, is an even greater attraction after its expansion in June, drawing tens of thousands of people daily to the banks of the Thames. The exhibition spaces have increased by more than half due to the new extension by the renowned Swiss architect duo Herzog & de Meuron, and the gallery management promises that in addition to a broader exhibition program, the new building will also provide a bonus for visitors who will be able to view the exhibitions in greater peace, without having to push through at the ticket counters or in the exhibition halls.

Tate Modern emerged from the bold conversion of the Bankside power station, which was built in two phases in 1947 and 1963 and was decommissioned in 1981. The fact that visual art found a home in originally industrial spaces and that the architects placed the heart of the gallery in the original turbine hall that is over seven stories high, where the power station’s generator once stood, attracted even those who were more curious about the building itself than the art it housed.

The same is true now, as the Swiss architects designed the new wing in the shape of a pyramid to offer breathtaking panoramic views of London from the upper floors. For many, the museum is worth a visit even if they are not particularly interested in the art on display.

Right during the first weekend after the opening, 143,000 people passed through the doors of the new Tate Modern. "Although the usual number of visitors more than doubled during the opening weekend, I think they felt comfortable even amidst such hectic operations," said gallery director Frances Morris.

In the following months, the gallery will likely repeat this stress test several more times, as visitor numbers will increase due in part to the peak tourist season and attractions such as the newly installed permanent exhibition and temporary exhibitions. This week, for example, the gallery begins a massive retrospective of American artist Georgia O’Keeffe, which is attracting enthusiastic reviews. At the end of the year, works by American Robert Rauschenberg will appear in the halls, and next year exhibitions by sculptor Alberto Giacometti and painter Amedeo Modigliani are likely to become hits.

For art lovers from the Czech Republic, it may also be a surprise that the exhibition includes works by Czech artists. In the hall dedicated to the technique of collage and assemblage, curators have showcased the work of Jiří and Běla Kolář. Kolářová is represented by a collage made of paper clips, which was named Paper Clip Riddle in 1969. In the same area, there are also four collages by her husband, which he created in the early 1970s as a tribute to the French poet Charles Baudelaire.