Jeevan M.
Yelp
Kelivngrove is my favourite museum in Scotland, there I said it. I've spent many a day in the museum, hiding away within its walls, searching for some new, undiscovered secret. As a Wendie, I often find myself walking in as I pass by on Argyle St, there's just something about this place!
Kelvingrove Museum has been a hugely rewarding legacy of Glasgow's International Exhibit of 1901, entertaining Weegies & tourists for 114 years (today is it's birthday aww!) Despite living through the city's sooty, industrial past & even sustaining bomb damage during world war 2, it's hard to say that it's showing its age. Thanks to a good amount of TLC over the years, Kelvingrove still stands on Argyle St as a monument to the city's past riches.
The museum famously houses Dali's Christ of St John of the cross, but it also home to Scotland's only fossilised Haggis (although it has mysteriously disappeared from view). As well as housing a good number of important Scottish (& Glaswegian) art, there are Dutch & French art exhibits upstairs.
On the ground floor are a range of exhibits on zoology and prehistoric animals, including a cool, leaping dinosaur. There's also an Egypt exhibit housing items lent by the Egyptian collection at the Burrell.
The museum houses a good deal of information on cultural identity (including a good number of items from the Commonwealth Games 2014) & Glasgow's history.
In the main hall you'll see a rather grand, carved wood organ, recitals are given daily in the main hall, they're highly recommended as this is the only time they're played. Sadly, outside of the recitals, the organ feels somewhat redundant, sat mute while the hall reverberates with the sound of visitors.
I love Kelvingrove both as a building and as a museum. The marble floors, vaulted ceilings, carved pillars are all testament to the importance of art & culture in the city's heritage. I love the ramshackle feel of the exhibits in the main hall, with a spitfire hanging above animals in one wing, while at the other side, float a number of white oversized heads, frozen in various emotional states.
To anyone visiting the city, please do not miss this brilliant museum, it may not be as big and brash as many other large museums, but there is some kind of soul about it, which seems to sum up Glasgow. We're not the biggest, won't claim to be the best, but we have a certain charm which seems to draw people back.