Looking after the People's Palace collection

Conservator restores a large painting in a storage area with racks of framed artworks.

Objects which are close to people's hearts

The People's Palace is home to cherished collections which document Glasgow's social history. They span from 1750 to the present day.

Objects have been removed from the museum and placed into storage. And work is ongoing to explore how the collection will look in the new spaces.


Protecting the collection for future generations

The objects in the People's Palace hold great significance to Glaswegians. Many provide an opportunity to reminisce about Glasgow's past and invoke a strong sense of nostalgia.

Whether it's Billy Connolly's iconic banana boots or the bright Barrowland sign, everyone has a favourite from the collection.

A huge amount of work has gone into ensuring these objects are securely stored while the redevelopment takes place. Expert conservation staff at Glasgow Life Museums also make sure items are looked after appropriately.


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Carefully removing much-loved objects

The People's Palace collection has been safely transferred to storage while the refurbishment takes place.

Pamela Hallan, Decant Manager with Glasgow Life Museums, talks us through the process.


Ken Currie paintings

Scottish artist Ken Currie was commissioned to create a series of paintings for the People's Palace. The works commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Calton Weavers Massacre of 1787. This event was a catalyst for the creation of the trade union movement. 

The paintings were on the top floor of the People's Palace and on display for more than 20 years. They are now being safely cleaned by our conservation team.

You can visit our collections navigator to find out more.


Behind-the-scenes with our conservation team

Conservator works on a detailed mural painting, using tools under bright strip lighting.
One of our conservation team looking after the Ken Currie piece.
Conservator wearing magnifying visor carefully cleans a painting with a small tool.
A close up of our conservation team working on the Ken Currie.
A close up of the Ken Currie paintings which was made for the People's Palace.
The UCS © Ken Currie

Looking to find out more about our collections?

Take a tour of the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre and some of the amazing treasures which are stored there.

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