By Craig Neil
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Table of Contents
Free attractions in Glasgow
- Glasgow Cathedral
- Glasgow Green
- Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
- Kelvingrove Park (behind marker 3)
- Mugdock Country Park
- Pollok Country Park
- Strathclyde Country Park
- The Glasgow Botanic Gardens
- The Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art (behind marker A)
- (A) The Lighthouse Art Gallery
- (B) The Peoples Palace (behind marker 2)
- (C) The Riverside Museum of Transport and Travel (behind marker D)
- (D) The Tall Ship
If you’d like to discover more places to visit take a look at the Scottish Tourist Attractions Map.
Glasgow Cathedral
- Address: Castle St, Glasgow, G4 0QZ
- Opening Times: Monday to Saturday – Admission between 10 am and 3.30 pm. Sunday – Admission between 1 pm and 3.30 pm
- Telephone Number: 0141 552 8198
- Email Address: N/A
- Out About Scotland visitor guide: Glasgow Cathedral
About: Glasgow is home to the most complete medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland with a building that features stunning stained-glass windows and incredibly well-preserved ancient chapels.
Glasgow Cathedral, also called St Kentigern’s or St Mungo’s Cathedral, is part of the Church of Scotland.
Glasgow Green
- Address: Greendyke Street, Saltmarket, Glasgow, G1 5DB
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Telephone Number: 0141 271 2951
- Email Address: N/A
- Out About Scotland visitor guide: Glasgow Green
About: Glasgow Green is one of the largest green areas in the city, covering 136 acres within walking distance of the city centre. The grounds feature a variety of activities including a play village, an orienteering course and viewing platforms over the River Clyde.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
- Address: Argyle St, Glasgow, G3 8AG
- Opening Times: Mon to Sun 10:00 (11:00 Sun) to 17:00
- Telephone Number: +44 (141) 276 9599
- Email Address: museums@glasgowlife.org.uk
- Out About Scotland visitor guide: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
About: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum opened in 1901 and has been a favourite with visitors to Glasgow ever since.
There’s a lot to see and do at this attraction, with 22 galleries that feature collections from ancient Egypt all the way through to Edinburgh’s most famous son, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The museum features a café, restaurant and gift shop.
Kelvingrove Park
- Address: Professors’ Square, Glasgow, G12 8QQ
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Telephone Number: 0141 334 6363
- Email Address: N/A
- Out About Scotland visitor guide: Kelvingrove Park
About: Surrounding the Kelvingrove Art Gallery is the extremely popular Kelvingrove Park which stretches across 85 acres in the heart of the city.
Visitors can enjoy the River Kelvin which runs through the park as well as five bowling greens, four tennis courts, an orienteering course, a skateboard park, cafés, and beautifully landscaped gardens.
Mugdock Country Park
- Address: Milngavie, Mugdock, Glasgow, G62 8EL
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Telephone Number: 0141 956 6100
- Email Address: office@mugdock.org
- Website: Mugdock Country Park
About: Mugdock Country Park is situated north of East Dunbartonshire and southwest of Stirling. It comprises 270 hectares of woodland, moorland and heathland and is connected by a network of paths.
It contains a loch, two castles, a stables complex and a walled garden. Keen walkers can enjoy several orienteering trails while children can go wild in the play park and adventure trail.
Pollok Country Park
- Address: Pollokshaws Rd, Glasgow, G43 1AT
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Telephone Number: 0141 287 5064
- Email Address: N/A
- Out About Scotland visitor guide: Pollok Country Park
About: Not only is Pollock Country Park the largest in Glasgow, but it’s the only country park within the city.
This Green Flag award-winner provides a quiet sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre and has a wide variety of exciting features such as a play park, orienteering course, old stables, heavy horses and roaming Highland cattle.
Strathclyde Country Park
- Address: Hamilton Road, Motherwell, Lanarkshire, ML1 3ED
- Opening Times: Open year-round.
- Telephone Number: 01698 402060
- Email Address: countryside@northlan.gov.uk
- Website: Strathclyde Country Park
About: Strathclyde Country Park played host to the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and the excitement of that year lives on through a number of fun activities that are available throughout the 400 hectares of countryside that comprise the park grounds.
There are outdoor adventure playgrounds, bike trails, a fitness gym, and a water sports centre with a café.
Discover Glasgow in 360° with this article: Virtual Tours of Attractions in Glasgow.
The Glasgow Botanic Gardens
- Address: Great Western Rd, Glasgow, G12 0UE
- Opening Times: 7 am – dusk (all year)
- Telephone Number: 0141 276 1614
- Email Address: Ewen.Donaldson@glasgow.gov.uk
- Out About Scotland visitor guide: The Glasgow Botanic Gardens
About: Glasgow’s famous Botanic Gardens are open all year for visitors to enjoy over 200 years of history with plant species that have been collected from around the world.
In addition to the beautifully managed plant specimens there is an arboretum and a heritage trail to explore, while guided tours are available for those wishing to learn more about Glasgow’s garden heritage.
The Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art
- Address: Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow, G1 3AH
- Opening Times: Mon to Sun 10:00 (11:00 Sun) to 17:00
- Telephone Number: 0141 287 3050
- Email Address: museums@glasgowlife.org.uk
- Out About Scotland visitor guide: The Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art
About: This centrally located exhibition of modern artworks contains four galleries which not only display some of the world’s finest modern art collections but also plays host to frequent exhibitions from artists from all over the world.
The GOMA aims to feature works that highlight the interests and influences which international artists share with local artists from Glasgow.
The Lighthouse Art Gallery
- Address: 11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow, G1 3NU
- Opening Times: Mon to Sat: 10.30 am – 5.00 pm. Sun: 12.00pm – 5.00pm
- Telephone Number: 0141 276 5365
- Email Address: Information.thelighthouse@glasgow.gov.uk
- Website: The Lighthouse Gallery
About: The Lighthouse was the first public commission designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the celebrated Glasgow architect, designer, and artist.
The gallery showcases a variety of art exhibitions as well as a fascinating Mackintosh Centre which features a variety of displays.
Tours are regularly held at The Lighthouse so that visitors can learn about Glasgow’s rich artistic heritage, and workshops allow anyone to get involved and learn new artistic skills.
The Peoples Palace
- Address: Templeton St, Glasgow, G40 1AT
- Opening Times: Mon to Sun 10:00 (11:00 Sun) to 17:00
- Telephone Number: 0141 276 0788
- Email Address: museums@glasgowlife.org.uk
- Out About Scotland visitor guide: The People’s Palace
About: The People’s Palace is located in historic Glasgow Green and is home to a collection of objects, photographs, prints and film which give a unique view into how Glaswegians lived, worked and played from 1750 right up to the present day.
Visitors can also view a diverse range of historic artefacts, paintings and interactive computer displays, while the beautiful Winter Gardens are located just outside if you fancy a stroll amongst exotic palms and plants.
The Riverside Museum of Transport and Travel
- Address: 100 Pointhouse Place, Glasgow, G3 8RS
- Opening Times: Mon to Sun 10:00 (11:00 Sun) to 17:00
- Telephone Number: 0141 287 2720
- Email Address: museums@glasgowlife.org.uk
- Out About Scotland visitor guide: The Riverside Museum
About: This award-winning museum sits alongside the River Clyde and is home to a vast collection of cars, bikes, trains and every other form of transport in-between.
There are over 3,000 objects on display from Glasgow’s rich industrial history including a faithful recreation of a historic Glasgow cobbled street that allows visitors to experience the past like never before.
The Tall Ship
- Address: 150 Pointhouse Place, Glasgow, G3 8RS
- Opening Times: Mon to Sun 10:00 to 17:00 (16:00 in winter)
- Telephone Number: 0141 357 3699
- Email Address: N/A
- Out About Scotland visitor guide: The Tall Ship
About: Glasgow was once home to shipbuilders that produced sea-faring craft that spanned the globe, and this important part of the city’s history is celebrated with the faithfully restored Glenlee which is one of many hundreds of sailing ships that were built on the banks of the River Clyde.
Tourists can explore the restored sailing ship thanks to the ongoing efforts of the Clyde Maritime Trust who also provide an interesting audio tour guide so that you can learn about the ship’s history.
Discover more free places to visit in Scotland with: The Best FREE Things to Do in Scotland – Ultimate Visitor Guide.
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