Spread over three floors and 22 galleries in the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a collection of some 8,000 pieces. The valuable collection of European art, ceramics, armour, silver, natural history and sports exhibits and sculptures is diverse and truly amazing. Fans of architecture will enjoy the building itself, which is built in Spanish baroque style.
In 1854, the local draftsman Archibald McLellan bestowed his private collection of 400 paintings to the City of Glasgow. The rest of the collection was built on these treasured works. The museum was opened to the public in 1901.
Find temporary exhibitions on the lower ground floor. After you have checked these out, discover natural world and ancient artifacts. See Sir Roger, the statue of an Asian elephant brought from India in the late 1800s. Learn about an Egyptian coffin found near the River Nile. Look up to see a World War II aircraft suspended from the ceiling.
Children will enjoy the insect and animal displays in the discovery center. While there, check out the organ, built in 1901 for the Glasgow International Exhibition, and listen to the daily 30-minute recital.
Go to the second floor to find works by European artists. Connoisseurs will appreciate galleries dedicated to Old Masters, French Impressionists and Dutch Renaissance artists. Highlights include the Christ of St. John of the Cross by Salvador Dali and The Annunciation by Sandro Botticelli. Look for an elephant’s tusk engraved with a tale of an incarnation of Buddha.
Situated in Kelvingrove Park, the museum is a 10-minute drive from Glasgow’s city center. Free parking is available, but there are limited spaces. Public buses are an easier option. The museum is a 30-minute walk from central George Square.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is open daily, except December 25 and 26 and January 1 and 2. It’s run by the Glasgow City Council and entry is free. Check the museum’s website for the full details of the temporary exhibitions and the time of the organ recitals.
