Tate St Ives opened in 1993 and is one of the best galleries in England outside London. It occupies a purpose-built building on the cliff above Porthmeor beach, with a rooftop terrace that gives an uninterrupted view of the Atlantic. The architecture by Evans & Shalev won a RIBA award; the interplay of natural light throughout the building is one of its great pleasures.
The collection focuses on modern British art from the mid-twentieth century onwards, with particular emphasis on the St Ives School: Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Peter Lanyon, Patrick Heron, and their contemporaries. The permanent collection rotates regularly, and the programme of temporary exhibitions brings in work from further afield. The ground-floor cafe with its terrace overlooking the beach is worth visiting on its own terms.