Kelvin Hall

Finding Glasgow – Kelvin Hall (re)collects

Tickets: Free - Drop-in - no ticket required
Dates and times: Saturday 20th Sept 2025
10:00am
Age: All ages
Venue: Kelvin Hall

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Join us at Kelvin Hall to discover Glasgow 850 through a series of talks, tours, films and conversations for Doors Open Day. These events will be based in the National Library of Scotland at Kelvin Hall.

You will have the opportunity to record your memories of Glasgow for the NLS Sound and Moving Image Archive as part of the Kelvin Hall re(collects) project.

We will have curatorial experts from the Hunterian, Glasgow Life Museums and the National Library of Scotland on hand throughout the day to answer your questions on the collections at Kelvin Hall.

The event will run from 10am-4pm with different sessions throughout the day.

Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available.

The Hunterian

Joseph Sharples, Hunterian Curator of Mackintosh and Applied Art and Design will run object talks at set times in the morning. These talks will be held in the Hunterian stores at Kelvin Hall at 10.30am and 11.30am, they will feature interesting objects relating to Glasgow history, including Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Tours are first come, first served on the day.

National Library of Scotland

Join Curators Ann Cameron and Liam Paterson from the moving image collection to share films over the past 100 years, from the circus to children’s cooking competitions! Drop-in throughout the day.

Glasgow Life Museums

Join Isobel McDonald, Curator of Social History for Glasgow Life Museums, to take a closer look at ‘Capturing the Moment: Glasgow then and now’, a new exhibition developed with pupils from Shawlands Academy to celebrate Glasgow’s 850th birthday. The display features images taken by local amateur photographer Eric Watt between the late 1950s and 1990s and new work taken by young people which show Glasgow today. The exhibition can be viewed all day.

Building Tour

Our volunteer-led building tour will run at intervals throughout the day. It’s a great opportunity to learn about the history of the building and have a peek behind the scenes.

Accessibility guides

The AccessAble guide can be found here

The Kelvin Hall Visual Story can be found here.

A floor plan for the venue is available here.

Other accessibility information

Please note that only assistance dogs are permitted within the building.

Kelvin Hall has a dedicated quiet room that can be used for prayer or for those needing a calm space. It is located on the ground floor beside the Sports Hall, please ask staff for directions.

Sensory bags which include ear defenders are available for visitors to use during their time in Kelvin Hall. These can be collected from reception.

Accessible toilets

The accessible toilet is located off the main corridor. There is changing places toilet.

Assistance dogs

Guide and assistance dogs are welcome.

Hearing loop

There is a fixed loop hearing assistance system.

If you use British Sign Language, you can watch our British Sign Language introduction to Kelvin Hall.

Wheelchair access

There is wheelchair and pram access to all public areas using the lifts and there are free wheelchairs available to hire at reception.

Baby changing

There is a dedicated baby changing room near reception, please ask staff for directions. The Play n' Climb has its own toilets with additional baby changing facilities.

Baby feeding

Cafe or restaurant

The Café at Kelvin Hall is a bright open space, located on the left hand side as you enter the building. There is a combination of booth seating and tables. It's a great space to meet friends, catch up before a class or grab a takeaway coffee before a walk through the West end.

The Kelvin Hall café serves breakfast, lunch, kid's meals, cakes, coffee and cold drinks.

Opening Hours:

Monday - Friday: 8am-5pm

Saturday & Sunday: 8.30am-5pm

Parking

Paid parking is available at the Bunhouse Road car park. The car park is managed by City Parking.

There are spaces reserved for blue badge holders close to the entrance of Kelvin Hall on Bunhouse Road as well as on street parking, where standard charges apply.

Bunhouse Road Car park has facilities for electric car charging as part of the ChargePlace Scotland public network.

Parking costs:

Up to 1 hour £3.00
• 1-2 hours £5.00
• 2-3 hours £7.50
• 3-4 hours £10.00
• 4-5 hours £10.00
• 5-6 hours £10.00
• 6-7 hours £10.00
• 7-8 hours £10.00
• 8-9 hours £10.00
• 9-10 hours £10.00

• Overnight Flat rate 6pm - 8am £3.00

Please note these machines take coins only and no change can be given.

Maximum stay 10 hours

Cashless parking is available as a payment method via RingGo at our surface pay! We advise downloading or registering for RingGo prior to your visit. To register or find out more please visit https://myringgo.co.uk/.

This car park is operated by Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability for more information please visit https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/carparks

Photography and video recording

Please follow this link to read guidelines on photography, filming and sketching in all Glasgow Life Museums.

Free wifi

View Kelvin Hall on Google Maps

Location Map

We encourage visitors to use public transport or active travel to access Kelvin Hall where possible.

Use Traveline Scotland to plan your trip

By train

Kelvin Hall is around 20 minutes walk from Partick Station

Subway

The nearest subway station is Kelvinhall.

By bus

First Bus services 2, 3 and 77 all stop outside the museum.

By Bike:

Kelvingrove Park forms part of the Kelvin Walkway, which links with the Glasgow Loch Lomond Clydeway and the West Highland Way. The venue can be easily reached by bicycle and bicycle parking is available to the front of the building.

There is secure, covered short term bike storage provided by Cyclehoop located at the front of the building. This can be accessed and paid for via the Cyclehoop app, this can be downloaded here.

By Car

Kelvin Hall is situated on Argyle Street, around 6 minutes from the M8.