Discover Glasgow: Culture, History and Hotels

Glasgow can be explored for trip planning through several clearly distinct themes: art and collections, industrial and transport history, historic sites, and cycling in Pollok Country Park. Tailor your choices to the sights that match your interests. Specific points of interest include the galleries at Kelvingrove, the history of Glasgow Cathedral, and the transport links in the country park.

Art, Collections and Music

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum comprises 22 galleries. Their themes range from art and animals to Ancient Egypt and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. This gives your visit several possible areas of focus, without requiring you to settle on a single theme. The museum remains open to visitors during restoration work.

The programme includes daily organ concerts on the 1901 Lewis and Co organ. This means you can also combine your museum visit with a musical event. The Burrell Collection includes paintings by Manet and Degas, Roman sculptures, and Egyptian pottery, among other things. These examples add a range of works and collection items to the perspective on art and history.

Historic Sites and Cityscapes

Glasgow Cathedral is the oldest cathedral on mainland Scotland and one of only two to have survived the Reformation. The tomb of St Mungo is in its crypt. The cathedral’s history and the tomb provide a direct connection to Glasgow’s religious past.

Another historic site is Glasgow Necropolis, a significant Victorian cemetery covering 37 acres (15 hectares). The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis offer free guided walks, which must be booked in advance. If you would like to explore the site with a guide, plan to book before your visit.

The City Centre Mural Trail also showcases the city’s history: it consists of large murals on city buildings. This lets you shift your focus from historic buildings and collections to murals in the public cityscape.

Transport and Industrial History at Riverside Museum

Riverside Museum is Glasgow’s museum of technology and transport. An authentic recreation of a cobbled street, complete with shops, houses and a subway station, brings part of the exhibition to life as a street scene. There are also interactive exhibitions and hands-on activities. The collections reflect Glasgow’s contributions to shipbuilding, train manufacturing and engineering.

The moored Tall Ship is next to Riverside Museum and is considered a symbol of Glasgow’s shipbuilding heritage. Together, the museum and ship illustrate a specific aspect of the city’s history; the museum also features interactive activities and the recreated street as further elements of its exhibits.

Pollok Country Park: Shuttle and Cycling Routes

Pollok Country Park is Glasgow’s only country park. To help you get around the park, a free electric shuttle bus runs seven days a week from 10:00 to 18:15. On its 20- to 30-minute circuit, it connects the park entrance at 2060 Pollokshaws Road with The Burrell Collection and Pollok House. If you would like to combine your visit to the park with either of these two destinations, the shuttle provides a specific link on its circuit.

There are also specific routes for arriving by bike: National Cycle Network routes 7 and 75 run through Pollok Country Park. Riverside Museum is on Sustrans Route 7. The cycle routes mentioned therefore differ in their reference point: two National Cycle Network routes are specified for the country park, while Route 7 is mentioned for the museum.

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