Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Art galleries boring? Not Kelvingrove, Glasgow’s favourite museum and one of the most-visited attractions in the UK.

Recently refurbished to the tune of nearly £28 million, creating space for 3000 more exhibits, Kelvingrove has one of the finest civic collections in Europe.

The museum boasts contains an exceptional collection of art treasures including Salvador Dalí’s Christ of St John of the Cross and a wide selection of work by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and also contains a wide and fascinating selection of museum pieces from around the world, including Sir Roger the Elephant – a favourite with generations of school children – and a Second World War Spitfire suspended from the ceiling.

Its collection of arms and armour is among the best in the world, and is unequalled in the UK outside of London.

Opened in 1901, the mueseum is built from red sandstone in a Spanish baroque style and was designed by architects John W Simpson and EJ Milner Allen, who won an open competition.

Contrary to urban myth, it was not built back to front, nor did either architect fling himself off the roof in shame. In fact, it’s a beautiful building which has been voted a favourite with Glaswegians.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is open 10am-5pm on Mondays to Thursdays and Saturdays, and 11am-5pm on Fridays and Sundays. Entry is free.