Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum - Glasgow

Since moving back to Glasgow, something I have been telling myself I need to do (but haven’t quite got round to it yet!) is to discover new places and try new things as well as revisiting some of the old and iconic places my city has to offer. Becoming a tourist in my own city if you will. I think, like most people, if you have lived somewhere for a long time you take for granted the fun events that happen and you don’t take the time to experience the unique things to do in your home town.

With this in mind, I went to the number 1 ‘thing to do’ in Glasgow according to Trip Adviser. This was to visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Now I am sure I went many times as a child but I haven’t been for years and couldn’t even remember what was inside the gallery. I’m not exactly the cultured type but it’s free so I really had no excuse not to go.

The building itself is amazing, surrounded by Kelvingrove Park and Glasgow University. The entrance/front door of the museum is very picturesque, many a selfie to be taken there. Once inside there are paintings (in an Art gallery.. funny that!), dinosaurs, ancient artefacts and an alarming number of stuffed seagulls. Now I’m not much of a historian, or art lover for that matter, but even I enjoyed wandering round looking at all the different pieces. Now I won’t pretend I knew what they were all meant to be, I mean I am pretty sure I could have drawn some of them, but I did enjoy listening to other people giving their interpretation of what I considered to be a squiggly line on top of a square. I even attempted my own piece of art in the form of decorating a box with coloured string, Pablo Picasso eat your heart out.

Now we missed the famous organ recital which happens every lunch time, but despite this we did spend practically the whole afternoon inside Kelvingrove, which surprised me as I thought I’d be bored after 10 minutes and want to find the nearest pub! In fact as we were leaving they were clearing up the café and reception ready to close for the evening, time flies when you are looking at paintings, who knew!?

Overall I had a great afternoon at the museum and I would recommend it to anyone visiting Glasgow or if, like me, you haven’t been since you were a child. I wouldn’t set aside a whole day for it, but it’s definitely worth visiting if you are in the area.

Anyway, this visit marks the start of my new goal to try and experience all the delights that Scotland and the UK have to offer, instead of doing the same things and going to the same places every weekend.

With this in mind I am open to all suggestions of fun/different things to do – I’m already planning a trip to the Edinburgh Fringe (which is a must), a visit to see the famous Kelpies and a sub crawl which isn't really a cultural experience but more of an excuse to drink all day with my friends across the entire city, but aside from these activities I am an open book so let me know your thoughts!