(1891-1901, J. W. Simpson & E. J. Milner Allen)

This is almost certainly the Glasgwegians` favourite building. Architects may have their views on this massive Locharbriggs sandstone building, but the locals love it, with all its flamboyant towers, turrets, spires and statues. And with its marvellous exhibits, it`s a popular day out - especially on wet weekends! In better weather, the light of the setting sun lends a wonderful glow to the rich red colour of the sandstone.

The museum`s collections were originally based on the paintings left to the city by Archibald McLellan. Subsequently, many new items came from the foreign expeditions of well-known explorers such as Captain James Cook, Charles Darwin and David Livingstone. In addition, with all sorts of Scottish traders, soldiers and missionaries involved in the buccaneering days of British Imperial expansion, many of them avidly collected (or plundered) pieces from the colonies and later donated or sold their collections to the museum.

The museum is soon going to be closed to the public in order to renovate the building and give much more space for public exhibits. The main collections displayed under the `old`style of the galleries included arms and armour; archaeology; natural history; ethnography; geology; art; sculpture … and much, much more.

This article is based on the guidebook "The Glasgow Guide".

This massive building is the city`s main museum and it houses a vast collection of paintings and other works of art.

More information about the building: its history.

More information about the building: its architecture.

Further details about the building can be found in "The Glasgow Guide".