[1][2] The title commemorates the association of the town with noted landscape painter J. M. W. Turner, who went to school there, and visited throughout his life.

[3] The building was designed by David Chipperfield,[4] whose design for the 3-storey, 20 metres (66 ft) high[5] gallery opened on 16 April 2011,[6] 14,000 people visited in the first weekend[7] and 500,000 in its first year.

[10] Turner Contemporary is the largest dedicated visual arts venue in Kent.

[12] In November 2011, the venue received an award from the British Guild of Travel Writers, for an outstanding tourism project.

[13] Queen Elizabeth II visited Turner Contemporary on 11 November 2011, as part of a wider trip to Margate.