Museums in Glasgow

Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery

Scotland’s oldest public museum is a splendid temple to the wonders of art, science, and history. There’s a lot to see here, but amongst its vast collections, must-see exhibits include a permanent gallery dedicated to the Antonine Wall: Rome’s Final Frontier, one the world’s finest collections of the works of James McNeill Whistler, iconic artworks including Rembrandt’s Entombment, objects connected with revolutionary scientific discoveries and advancements, and a plethora of zoological, paleontological and geological specimens, and so much more. Visit Website

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is one of the most visited art galleries and museums in the world, home to an incredible array of 8,000 exhibits spanning everything from a World War II Spitfire to Salvador Dalí’s mesmerising Christ of St John of the Cross. Discover dinosaur skeletons, medieval armour, stunning works by the Dutch Old Masters, French Impressionists, and the Scottish Colourists. Other highlights include Sir Roger the Elephant, a taxidermy measuring 10.5 feet in height and one of Kelvingrove’s most popular exhibits.

House for an Art Lover

Glasgow is synonymous with the name of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The seminal Scottish architect, designer and artist left a legacy which can be visited at an array of locations including House for an Art Lover. This elegant country retreat in Bellahouston Park was built according to drawings Mackintosh drafted for a design competition in 1900. Feast your eyes on the stunning interior which makes ingenious use of natural light and space, brimming with fine art. The house regularly hosts art exhibitions in its superb restaurant where you can dine al fresco in the summer months.

Riverside Museum

This is a great one for the kids. Sometimes described as ‘Glasgow’s Guggenheim’, the Riverside Museum is Glasgow’s award-winning museum of transport, housed inside a marvellous building designed by acclaimed architect Zaha Hadid. Inside you’ll find a treasure trove of 3,000 exhibits which hark back to the olden days of transport with everything from tramcars and bone-shaker buses to steam engines and gleaming vintage cars on display. Moored outside is the star exhibit, the Glenlee, a three-masted barque launched in 1896 and one of only five sailing ships built on the River Clyde still afloat.