Hayward Gallery Reviews Summary

Exhibitions

Pros:

• "A brilliant exhibition by a fascinating artist and a little insight into the history of South Korea."
• "This is a 5* must see show of photography from the Japanese artist Sugimoto."
• "The last two shows I've been to, Mirror City and Decisions were not only challenging and groundbreaking work, but also make brilliant use of the physical space of the gallery too."
• "Loved the In the Black Fantastic Show!! So happy that I went to see it."
• "The current exhibition of the work of Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto is excellent and runs until 7 January 2024."
• "The Lee Bul exhibition was a wonderful show."
• "Visited the Andreas Gursky exhibition here and it was magnificent."

Cons:

• "Not at all impressed with the Space Shifters exhibition."
• "The exhibition itself was sparse and poorly curated. No real flow from room to room and the space itself is frankly bizarre."
• "It was such a letdown whilst watching redoubt that the Hayward Gallery staff chose to have a very loud conversation for 40+ minutes despite the clear impact that had on everyone watching a film that had no dialogue."
• "The exhibition is, in my opinion, not worth the money; ironically for an exhibition about 'space', very little space is actually used."
• "Free drag exhibition was extremely disappointing... One room with random exhibits that stretch the term drag beyond it's common definitions thus generating confusion and frankly disinterest."
• "I thought the Kiss My Genders exhibition was pretentious and didn't have much bearing on real life."
• "It was ok, not much to see."

Staff and Service

Pros:

• "Friendly staff throughout the building and cute gift shop."
• "It’s my favourite spot in London.. great choice of exhibitions, the atmosphere is top and the staff are pretty lovely."
• "Staff are also exceptional, friendly and VERY well informed."
• "All the staff are friendly, helpful and very smiley!"
• "The staff are very friendly and helpful."
• "The staff are passionate, friendly and know their stuff."
• "Staff very unobtrusive but helpful when needed."

Cons:

• "Keep asking us book the tickets on the website before go to the gallery and there's just no clear information where to book. The website drives me crazy."
• "But the alcohol offering is the biggest let down here."
• "The cafe has the most horrible service!"
• "The only disappointment was the staff serving at the coffee shop, could someone please teach them the simple rules of customer friendly service."
• "The staff both on the reception desk and security on the door were incredibly rude and they gave a sense of elitism."
• "Went with kids to Space Shifters - lots of anger from attendents if you stepped over some tape on the floor."
• "The worst service."

Facilities and Layout

Pros:

• "Good environment (nice cafe) and well laid out."
• "Beautiful brutalist art gallery, recently refurbished."
• "There's lots of seating throughout the gallery, so you can admire the art on display at your own leisure."
• "Natural light floods the upper galleries."
• "The Gallery is back open after 2 years of refurbishment."
• "The space was amazing and well presented, with beautiful artwork and inspiring moments."
• "The refit has really accentuated the natural light available in this gallery space."

Cons:

• "Rubbish bin, poorly thought out paint jobs and virtually zero signage for visitors make for a dismal experience."
• "The bathrooms were incredibly dirty and the shop was below average for stocked titles."
• "Huge dust-bunnies wafting around the floor of exhibits was pretty off-putting."
• "Hard to think straight let alone contemplate the artworks."
• "The only problem I have is that they never let you know when they’ll be shut and their opening hours differ from what the staff say."
• "It's hard to understand why a) The Hayward gallery disposed of the wonderful Concrete Cafe & Bar and replaced it with a shop."
• "Regardless of the design aesthetic folderol this is a vibe-neutral zone devoid of warmth and welcome."

Accessibility and Location

Pros:

• "The Hayward is a beautiful gallery situated a short walk from Waterloo Station, which is ideal for me."
• "The location is easy to access from a number of different stations and bus routes."
• "Multifaceted and wonderfully programmed arts space in the heart of the South Bank."
• "Well located nr Waterloo/ south bank."
• "Easy to find location in the Southbank centre."
• "The Hayward Gallery is part of the South Bank Centre, located on the River front, within a short distance from London Waterloo Station."
• "The place in a wonderful location: city centre, lots of food stalls just a few steps away from the gallery, beautiful views on the river Thames and the London Eye."

Cons:

• "What a contrast to the drab and derelict venue that is the South Bank Centre."
• "Took me half an hour to find the door. Then once found I discovered it was closed that day (closed Sunday's)."
• "Still haven't been. Check opening times and a map before you go."
• "Just been to see the Light show, it was very interesting but the queues were a bit long and the guards were quite bossy."
• "The acoustics here are abhorrent and with just a few people chatting quietly, the cacophony of sound will soon become unpleasant."
• "Not easy to find your way in."
• "It's amazing that it's only relatively recently that wheelchair users were not really factored into planning, and it was quite a palaver to get to the gallery."

Value and Pricing

Pros:

• "Have concession ticket prices."
• "You do have to pay for entry however there are discounted rates and it is worth it as the displays are very very well done and large."
• "What you get with your ticket for entry is a well-curated exhibition, an extraordinary space -- large but well-utilised -- and great facilities."
• "Southbank Membership is great value."
• "The shows here tend to have excellent curation and to deliver a wonderful experience in general."
• "Great showcase of work, for adults and for children."
• "Wonderful place, amazing exhibition and lots of interesting people around at the opening."

Cons:

• "£16 is way too expensive (to me it's worth half this) and I'm disappointed there is no pensioner discount."
• "Considering the payment cost- £50 for three people- I expected more."
• "The exhibition is, in my opinion, not worth the money; ironically for an exhibition about 'space', very little space is actually used."
• "I don't like the inclusive toilets because I can't make any noises!"
• "The only downside was the 20:50 installation which is the only piece requiring queueing."
• "Firstly, we are spoiled by free entry these days and the Hayward Gallery is not free, so be prepared to pay for entry!"
• "Overall, a huge disappointment. I loved the vibe of Concrete Cafe and it's much missed, this new offering is pretty much the worst of all public gallery offerings."