JMW Turner, one of Britain’s most celebrated artists, had an enduring connection with Margate. Captivated by the ethereal quality of light along the Kentish coast, Turner frequently visited this picturesque town to harness the play of sunlight and sea. He was enamoured by Margate’s dramatic skies and seascapes, which became a prominent theme in his later works.
Turner’s affiliation with Margate has left an indelible mark on the town’s cultural identity, inspiring the creation of the Turner Contemporary museum that honours his legacy and continues to draw art enthusiasts and admirers from around the world.
What to see at the Turner Contemporary
The Turner Contemporary museum in Margate offers a rich tapestry of contemporary artworks that span a wide range of media and styles. Beyond the exhibitions, the museum’s panoramic sea views pay homage to JMW Turner’s fascination with Margate’s coastal beauty.
Temporary exhibitions at the Turner Contemporary
Apart from one solitary painting, Michael Craig Martin’s Turning Pages 2011, the Turner Contemporary does not have a permanent collection of its own, and instead its focus is on a programme of temporary exhibitions, all with a focus on contemporary art.
Current and planned exhibitions include:
The Sunken Boat: A Glimpse into Past Histories
This exhibition by Anna Boghiguian (until 26 October 2025) explores maritime histories alongside current environmental and geopolitical issues. The artist uses painting, sculpture, sound and cut-outs to reflect on trade, migration and ecological collapse. New work focuses on the sea’s role in shaping histories of labour and conflict and themes include rising sea levels and tensions over undersea cables.
Young Creatives
This exhibition (until 26 October 2025) showcases over 50 works by artists under 25 from Kent. The artworks, ranging from painting and collage to sculpture and video, respond to the theme of force. Many draw on the sea as inspiration, reflecting JMW Turner’s interest in coastal light. The exhibition is a collaboration with the Margate RNLI and offers a space for emerging voices to share their creative responses.
Antony Gormley: Another Time
Antony Gormley’s Another Time (until 1 November 2030) is a sculpture installed on Fulsam Rock near the gallery that is part of a series of 100 cast-iron figures. The figure is positioned in such a way that it is only fully visible at low tide, which gives the work a sense of timelessness and impermanence.
Visiting the Turner Contemporary
The Turner Contemporary is located at the northern end of Margate Beach and most points of interest in Margate are no more than a 10-minute walk from here.
The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday and admission is free of charge.
Visitor facilities include a gift shop and cafe and its location near the town centre means that there are plenty of other places to eat and drink nearby.
The Turner Contemporary is fully wheelchair accessible.
Allow 1–2 hours for your visit.
There are no comments yet.