Introduction and Contact Details

Welcome
Kelvingrove is a very special museum. For generations of people from Glasgow and the surrounding neighbourhoods, it has a deep, personal significance linked with every stage of their lives. Visits to ‘the art galleries’ are highlights of childhood memories; many people did their courting there; parenthood and grandparenthood see the cycle begin again.

Visitors develop favourites, which, like old friends, they drop in to see whenever they get a chance. And although everyone thinks their cherished local institution is special, the sense of Kelvingrove’s uniqueness is backed up by facts – it is the largest civic museum and art gallery in the UK, with collections of international importance.

Prior to closure, Kelvingrove’s annual total of one million visits made it in absolute terms the most-visited museum in Scotland, and the sixth most-visited museum in Britain.

Along with the quality of the collections and the scale of the building, this sense of local ownership made the task of renewing the museum a heavy responsibility. This huge undertaking involved staff from right across the Council.

The core project team, led by Museum Manager Anthony McReavy, did fantastic job co-ordinating the work of the architects, builders, external designers, specialist consultants, Museums Service and other Council staff, ensuring that every dimension of the new displays reflects the Council’s overall vision for Kelvingrove. And let us not forget those staff who did a sterling job keeping the City’s other museums and projects running smoothly while the restoration of Kelvingrove was taking place. 

We are also grateful for the invaluable input from a range of advisory groups – the Education Panel, the Community Panel, Glasgow City Council’s Disability Forum, the Junior Board, and the Friends of Glasgow Museums (FoGM), who have helped us ensure that Kelvingrove will meet the needs and expectations of visitors for years to come.

The City Council in general, and the Cultural & Leisure Services Committee in particular, has shown vision and fortitude in supporting the project. It’s hard to remember now how daunting – some said unrealistic – the scale and ambition of the restoration scheme seemed ten years ago.

Special thanks must go to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), who awarded Kelvingrove its first and largest grant – a staggering £12.7 million, nearly 50% of the core project. This not only set the project up financially, but also indicated their confidence in Glasgow City Council’s capacity to deliver, inspiring many other potential funders.

Significant funds were also received from the European Regional Development Fund, Historic Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage. The Council’s partnership with the private sector was embodied in the Kelvingrove Refurbishment Appeal (KRA). This innovative trust, chaired by the indefatigable Lord Norman Macfarlane of Bearsden, ran what turned out to be Scotland’s most successful ever cultural fundraising campaign.

The KRA enlisted the support of some of the country’s leading business people as trustees and donors, and raised substantial sums from companies, trusts and foundations. Reflecting the unique role of Kelvingrove in the life of the city, donations were also received from nearly 5,000 individuals. All names are permanently acknowledged within Kelvingrove, and can also be seen on this website.

So, on behalf of the City Council and the citizens of Glasgow, I would like to thank everyone involved in the project. I would also like to welcome our fellow citizens back to their Kelvingrove, and to offer the warmest of welcomes to visitors to Glasgow – come and explore all that this amazing museum has to offer.

Councillor John Lynch
Convener, Cultural & Leisure Services

Contact us at:

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Argyle Street
Glasgow
G3 8AG
Phone 0141 276 9599
Fax  0141 276 9540
Textphone 0141 276 9500 or 0141 276 9511
Email museums@csglasgow.org

Opening hours
Monday to Thursday and Saturday 10am to 5pm, Friday and Sunday 11am to 5pm.  

Media enquiries

Gordon Boag
Media Officer
Culture and Sport Glasgow
Phone 0141 287 6418
Mobile 07825 904240
Email

Education Service
Our Museums Education Service provides programmes and resources for educators from pre-school to higher education, including special needs.

Glasgow Museums Education Service
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Argyle Street
Glasgow
G3 8AG
Phone 0141 276 9505 or 0141 276 9506.

You can also find out more about our Education Service on our Education section.

Friends of Glasgow Museums
Friends of Glasgow Museums (FoGM) supports Glasgow Museums and fosters interest in the arts in Glasgow. For more information, visit the Friends of Glasgow Museums section.

Travel and access information
You can find travel and access information on the following sections of our website:

Travel information

Access