n Spitfire hanging dramatically from the ceiling of the West Court of the museum

Kelvingrove’s 8,000-item-collection includes many pieces of international significance. Among these are 19th-century British artists including Turner and Constable, a painting by Salvador Dali widely acknowledged to be one of his finest, and French Impressionist and Dutch Renaissance painters. Scottish art and design is well represented with rooms dedicated to the Scottish Colourists and the Glasgow Style.

Elsewhere within its 22 galleries, the museum offers insight into Glasgow’s evolution from its medieval beginnings to its 19th- and 20th-century economic and cultural transformation. Among the museum’s signature exhibits are a Spitfire, suspended high above the vast West Court, and an Asian elephant by the name of Sir Roger.

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t Animal exhibits can be found in the West Wing of the Natural History Gallery.

Insider Tip

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Organ Recital

Don’t miss the daily organ recital which takes place at 1pm, or 3pm on Sundays, in the Centre Hall. The magnificent giant organ has been in the hall since 1902 and many eminent artists have played on it.

Exploring Kelvingrove

Within the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum’s distinctive sandstone façade, an impressive galleried main hall runs the entire length of the building, which in turn gives way to a series of upper balconies, with small interlinked galleries connecting throughout.

The displays themselves are arranged under two main themes: Life, which is located in the western half of the building showcases archaeology – including pieces from Ancient Egypt – local history, and Scottish culture and wildlife; Expression, sited on the opposite, eastern side, focuses almost exclusively on art and design. It is a truly world-class collection, with many paintings by celebrated European Masters such as Rembrandt, Van Gogh and DalÍ, as well as works by the much-loved Scottish Colourists, who feature prominently. Here, too, on the ground floor, is an exhibition devoted to local Glasgow legend Charles Rennie Mackintosh, something no fan of the celebrated architect and designer should miss.

n An array of medieval armour on display at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

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Gallery Highlights

The Dutch Gallery Rembrandt’s Man in Armour sets the tone for Kelvingrove’s collection of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish masters, which is recognized as one of the UK’s finest. Other paintings worth seeking out include Benjamin Gerritszoon Cuyp’s The Quack Doctor, and a supporting cast of works by Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, Daniel de Blieck, and Abraham van Beyeren.

The French Gallery Van Gogh’s portrait of the red-headed, red-bearded Alexander Reid makes the Glasgow-born art dealer, a friend of the artist, look almost like Vincent’s twin brother. Raoul Dufy’s The Jetties of Trouville-Deauville is another stand-out work in a stellar portfolio of paintings by 19th- and 20th- century greats including Braque, Gauguin, Monet, Pissarro and Renoir.

The Scottish Colourists Though they are more closely associated with Edinburgh than with Glasgow, the Scottish Colourists are well represented at Kelvingrove. Cadell’s elegantly poised A Lady in Black and Peploe’s Roses are outstanding examples of each artist’s style. Hunter’s A Summer Day, Largo and Fergusson’s On the Beach at Tangier are variations on the classic maritime themes that both these painters loved.

The Glasgow Boys James Guthrie’s Old Willie; The Village Worthy, a sympathetic portrait of an elderly man, contrasts strongly here with the colourful, almost psychedelic mysticism of The Druids: Bringing in the Mistletoe by George Henry and E A Hornel, illustrating the breadth of vision of this celebrated group of painters. The Kelvingrove collection is the world’s leading portfolio of works by the dynamic “Glasgow Boys”.

Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style Woodwork and gesso panels, stylish furniture, beautifully detailed light fittings and other decorative elements that are hallmarks of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s distinctive style have pride of place in the reconstructed Ingram Street Tearooms, designed by Mackintosh working together with his wife Margaret Macdonald between 1900 and 1912. Tearooms were the first dining establishments to allow unaccompanied women, and the elegant Ladies Luncheon Room is the epitome of Edwardian elegance.