Like a lot of European cities, Glasgow boasts a plethora of cultural activities that are free to the public. Top of our list of free things to do in Glasgow are its fantastic museums and art galleries. Below we have compiled a list of some of the best, spanning everything from Viking stones to Glasgow’s social history. We have been sure to include something for all the family.
The Riverside Museum
The Riverside Museum of Transport and Travel does just what it says on the tin. This transport museum houses over 3,000 objects, and is great for kids, with interactive displays and whole streets from Glasgow’s past recreated within the huge space. In fact, whether or not you are interested in the history of transport, the building itself deserves a visit. Opened in 2011 to replace the old Transport Museum just around the corner, the peaks of Zaha Hadid’s waterfront masterpiece are intended to echo both the shapes of the ships that made Glasgow famous and the materiality and heft of the industrial shipyards that they were built in. The Riverside Museum has quickly become a jewel in the crown of Glasgow’s waterfront, and, after a visit, a stroll past the Science Centre and Imax, which are similar in style and scope, and across the Millennium Bridge (tip to sound like a local: they call it the squinty bridge, because it’s at an angle or ‘squint’ across the water) would make a lovely afternoon activity.
Govan Old Parish Church
If you happen to be visiting Glasgow during the summer months you can extend your exploration of the city’s museums across the Clyde to the Govan Stones at Govan Old Parish Church. The church is free and open to the public from April-October, and during most of this time a ferry, which is also free, runs between the Riverside Museum and Govan. The church, itself beautiful, houses 31 artefacts from Medieval Scotland, including the five Govan stones, which were carved in the 9th-11th centuries to honour rulers of Strathclyde (an area which eventually became a part of the City of Glasgow). This small museum tends to be quiet at most times, although like everywhere can be busier during school holidays. Although the church and the stones will be most interesting to history buffs, there have been recent pushes towards making the museum a positive learning environment for all. This includes exhibits aimed at children, as well as worksheets that are downloadable on the Govan Old Church website.
The People’s Palace
Another fantastic option for a summer’s day is The People’s Palace. Located on Glasgow Green, this museum of social history illustrates the past of working-class Glasgow through recreations of typical Glasgow public and private spaces. This includes early 20th-century public washrooms, essential for a population who were mostly without indoor plumbing, as well as rooms from private homes. Additionally, there is a collection of art that tells the story of Glasgow through the centuries, as well as a renowned cafe and tea rooms to relax in after a walk on the green and a saunter through the galleries. This museum would probably suit older children, as it isn’t particularly equipped with interactive exhibits and there may be an irresistible urge to touch the true-to-life scenes for small hands!
Glasgow Women’s Library
Sticking with social history, Glasgow Women’s Library is a smaller museum (and, of course, library) that’s well worth the visit. The museum collection spans items related to the suffrage movement, the largely women-lead Glasgow rent strikes, and even a recent community-led series of exhibits that have now become part of the permanent collection at the library, ‘Women Making an Exhibition of Themselves’. The museum holds regular one-off events and workshops, so do check their website for that information. As it is small and can get a little crowded, Mondays are suggested as a quieter time to visit the Women’s Library.
The Hunterian Museum
Another unusual Glasgow museum can be found on the University of Glasgow campus. The Hunterian Museum is a veritable cabinet of curiosities, housed within the magnificent neo-gothic main building of the university. Walking through the gates is like arriving at Hogwarts, and the magic doesn’t stop there! The Hunterian could be disturbing for younger children, as it is based around the private collection of a Victorian medic, and so includes more than a few preserved chunks of both animals and humans in jars. That being said, the Antonine Wall exhibit is not to be missed. The wall, which ran just past Glasgow, was the furthest into Scotland that the Romans reached. Legend says it was the midgies (biting flies) in their armour that sent them running back to England to construct Hadrian’s wall, but who can say for sure? Finish your day of University museums by heading up the road to the small but fascinating Zoology Museum, featuring both live and very dead animals, as well as intricate posters detailing how to dissect them!
Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery
Next on our list of Glasgow museums is the Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery. This is one of the West End’s finest attractions, situated in the lovely Kelvingrove Park, just a stone’s throw from the shops and restaurants of Byres Road and Dumbarton Road. The Kelvingrove, which opened in 1901, is housed in a beautiful red sandstone building and is a great destination for all the family. Unusually, this museum covers history, natural history and art, and is even home to a Dali painting! The atrium is stunning and high-ceilinged, and exhibits are always whimsical as well as informative (don’t miss the haggis in its natural habitat! It has to be seen to be believed). Downstairs, the museum has a children’s area with games and dressing up clothes, located conveniently next to the cafe. The two wings of the building hold a total of 22 separate galleries, which cover everything from 17th Century Dutch painting, to Egyptian History, to Glasgow treasure Charle Rennie Mackintosh.
The Burrel Collection
Sir William Burrel, ship owner and art collector, donated to the city of Glasgow in 1944 an extensive and rather remarkable collection of art. Some of the art includes Greek and Roman artwork and religious art. If you would like to see a wide variety of different types of art then please do visit the Glasgow Burrel Collection.
Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art
The Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art opened its doors in 1996 and has been one of the most visited Glasgow museums ever since. The Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art houses four different galleries which each carry a different theme. If you are visiting Glasgow with your children then you can certainly take them along to this Glasgow museum as many kids seem to enjoy their time at the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art.
Of course, this list only scratches the surface of what Glasgow has to offer as a city of culture, but ask any local what their favourite Glasgow museum is and you’ll get a new recommendation. Have fun exploring whatever you think sounds interesting, after all, it is free!