Head to this social history museum and public gardens to learn about the history of Glasgow, watch bagpipe performances and admire the rare tropical plants.
Glasgow’s People’s Palace and Winter Gardens takes you back in time to learn all about the social and cultural history of the city and its people, from the mid-1700s right up to the present day.
The People’s Palace is located in Glasgow Green park and was opened in 1898. The much-loved building showcases the history of the city in an easily accessible manner for both residents and visitors. Head to the beautiful Doulton Fountain to find the entrance.
You can join a free guided tour of the building, or grab a map at the reception area and explore the People’s Palace in your own time. The Glasgow History Mural by figurative artist Ken Currie is situated on the ceiling above you, and depicts several important scenes from Glasgow’s past, including 20th-century employment struggles and a massacre of hand weavers in 1787. The Single End exhibit shows the typical living conditions of Glaswegians during the 1930s, and there is a detailed reconstruction of a one-room home from the era.
Don’t miss the famous banana boots that were worn by popular Scottish comedian Billy Connolly during the 1970s. Note the portrait of the affluent tobacco trader John Glassford – the artist Archibald McLauchlan had originally painted a slave in the background of the portrait, but it has since been removed.
The Winter Gardens are located behind the museum’s main entrance and consist of a lovely Victorian glasshouse filled with exotic plants. Have a seat in the atrium’s atmospheric café surrounded by huge tropical flora and enjoy your coffee in a decidedly un-Scottish setting.
You can walk to the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens from the city centre – it takes about 25 minutes. Alternatively, you can take one of the many buses that stop near the park’s entrance. The gardens are open every day and the palace is open from Tuesday to Friday. Both the palace and the gardens are closed on 25-26 December and 1-2 January.
