Modified Social Benches

Have a seat on Jeppe Hein’s witty reinventions of the park bench, each one different from the next

Based on research into ‘personal space’ and inspired by New York benches, each of Jeppe Hein’s Modified Social Benches challenge the amount of space and distance we place between one another.

You’ll find them dotted around outside our buildings from Queen’s Walk on the riverfront to Mandela Walk. The benches challenge the amount of space and distance we place between one another.

Since they were first installed in 2016, thousands of visitors have taken the time to sit, climb and ponder on them, providing photo opportunities aplenty!

Share your bench selfies

Don’t forget to share your bench selfies with us when you visit, just tag @southbankcentre.

Opening times

A public space open all day, every day.

Location

Queen’s Walk & Mandela Walk

For your visit

Queen's Walk Southbank Centre

Queen’s Walk is a public space and is open all day, every day.

A number of people stand around the tables of the South Bank Book Market under Waterloo Bridge; it is a bright day but the market is in shadow

people standing outside the food market and ordering food from the stalls

People looking through the books on display tables at the South Bank Book Market

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People queueing at the bright pink double decker SNOG Frozen Yogurt bus on the riverside outside the Southbank Centre

Alice Sara Ott stood against a red Jeppe Hein bench at the Southbank Centre

People browsing books at the Southbank Book Market

Group of people gathered around the Thirsty Farrier drinks truck.

Queen’s Walk, alongside the River Thames from Jubilee Gardens to Waterloo Bridge, is where you’ll find pop-ups, public art installations and the South Bank Book Market.

Getting here

Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.

The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.

We’re cash-free

Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.

We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.

All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.

All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.

From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.

Places to eat and drink whilst you’re here