Service design with TATE: Bring the art gallery into families

Bringing Tate Kids into the home

Bringing Tate Kids into the gallery through experiences where families can play, learn, and spend leisure time together through family art exploration and creativity.

Tate Pen Pals

A service that brings art education into the home. Children and parents become pen pals with our mascot, Twill, which posts art-based activity kits themed around different art periods and artists to engage and educate kids.

How families actually use museums

• People aren't just looking — they're actively doing things.
• Families use the museum like a creative play space.
• Engagement is self-started and happens in many ways.

Rather than attracting families already interested in art, we chose to bring Tate to families who haven't yet engaged much with art.

Getting close to authentic users

Primary research in Bethnal Green South, East London — population 19,000, densely packed, majority lower-income families with multicultural backgrounds (32% Bangladeshi, 37% White British, 11% White Other).

Key street interview insights: children's interests and family bonds are most valued; parents' answers reflect their ideal vision rather than reality; parents won't admit they don't care about art even if they genuinely don't.

Understanding who we're designing for

From empathy to value proposition

We identified the functional benefits and value of our service through empathy mapping and value proposition canvas, then developed multiple prototype solutions.

Testing the physical kit

How the full system works

Stakeholders include community centres, schools, post offices, Tate shops and families. We created value for each stakeholder across the system.

Art is "for families like us"

When children regularly receive and interact with Tate kits at home, send postcards back, and have named contact with a museum, TATE Pen Pals becomes a routine. Tate creates a two-way bridge between homes, community hubs and the museum.

Highlights