The facinating transformation of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Like so many people I’ve visited Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum for years, writes Edinburgh resident Sally Kerr.

I’ve found something to enjoy whatever age I was – child, teenager or adult – and it’s one of the places, unique to Glasgow, that’s loved by local people.

So I was a bit worried about the new Kelvingrove, and whether it would still be the place I remembered.

After all, it has been closed for three years, modernised, cleaned and extended, and has opened with more objects on show (50 per cent more!) and all sorts of new facilities.

It was a relief to turn off Kelvin Way and see it standing there, large and impressive, with its Victorian decoration looking as good as ever. Better in fact!

The building’s crisp red sandstone marks it out as a special place as soon as you arrive. On the lower ground floor there’s a new easy –access entrance, new café, education areas and other facilities.

There is also the temporary exhibition gallery which will see new shows appearing throughout the year – Kylie Minogue’s costumes are coming soon!

The main entrance hall on the ground floor boasts two more cafes and lots of seating where you can enjoy the views of the rest of the Museum.

The Museum is divided and organised into two main themes, Life and Expression, but within these are a huge range of different displays and stories.

And the galleries all inter-connect so you can be in one and have tantalising glimpses of others.

The ground floor holds various displays and fascinating exhibitions, including two new discovery centres – Art and Environment. Touchscreen monitors and videos are all around to help you learn about items from the collections.

Upstairs you can look down and see a Spitfire hanging below and on the other side a floating mass of heads, all part of the Expression half of the Museum.

With a bird’s eye view you can look across to the other galleries, catch a glimpse of Salvador Dali’s ‘Christ of St John of the Cross’ – one of the most famous items in the collection, and see all along the sides the Picture Promenade with groups of paintings hung in themes. There is An Object cinema (now showing Artic Life) and a History Discovery Centre on this floor too.

The galleries travel the centuries in Scotland with wonderful examples to illustrate the different ages.

In the European art galleries, there are different activities – crayons for children to make their own pictures, and a blank table cloth with coloured plastic pieces to make designs. Dotted around are all kinds of sculptures ranging from a caricature of Elvis Presley to Robert Burns.

Every part of Kelvingrove is in use, and there are surprises round every corner, like a comfortable bench painted with an exotic beach scene or the mini-museum for under fives!

My visit told me that Kelvingrove is even better, with something for any age – and so much to keep you coming back.

Kelvingrove has had more than two million visitors since reopening on 11 July 2006.