Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Frommer's Review

Along with the Burrell Collection , the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum presents the stirring soul of the city's art collection, one of the best amassed by a municipality in Europe. Reopened in 2006 after a 3-year and several-million-pound refurbishment, the Kelvingrove can boast that it is the most visited gallery and museum in Scotland -- the most popular in the U.K. outside of London. The space features French impressionists and 17th-century Dutch and Flemish paintings. One painting of particular note is Christ of St. John the Cross by Spanish surrealist Salvador Dalí. Other highlights include paintings by the Scottish Colourists and the Glasgow Boys, a wing devoted to Mackintosh, as well as more recent art by Anne Redpath and Joan Eardley. But there is more than art, with exhibits on Scottish and Glasgow history, armory and war, as well as natural history and nature -- often mixing all to good educational effect, such as showing how human armor copied the natural protection of some animals, such as the armadillo. There are plenty of interactive displays and touches of humor, too, such as the creature that supposedly is responsible for the traditional dish, haggis. The building itself, built for the 1901 Glasgow International Exhibition, is magnificent, as well. In the semi-basement is a new cafe/restaurant.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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