Museums and Art Galleries Department

• Reference:GB 243 D-MAG
• Dates of Creation:1877 - 1916
• Language of Material:English
• Physical Description:
  0.20 Linear Metres (4 volumes)

• Scope and Content

  Letter book, 1897 - 1898; Account book, 1897 - 1902; Wages book, 1912 - 1916; Visitors’ book, 1877 - 1899.

• Administrative / Biographical History

  The former Parks and Galleries Trust merged with Glasgow Corporation in 1895. The first municipal museum, the City Industrial Museum, dated from 1870, and was in the old mansion-house of Kelvingrove. The building proved too small and was extended in 1876. The provision of a museum to house the main city collections was under consideration soon afterwards. A successful temporary exhibition was held in Kelvingrove Park in 1888, and work began on the present museum soon afterwards; this was formally opened in 1902.

  Various district exhibitions were held from time to time, and this led to a decision to provide a branch museum in the east end of the city, opened as the People's Palace in 1898. Others followed, including a Children's Museum at Tollcross (1905) and the Museum of Transport (1964). Pollok House was opened to the public as a museum in 1967. The Burrell Collection was presented to the city by Sir William Burrell in 1944, but no permanent home had been found for it by 1975, when local government reorganisation transferred the department to Glasgow District Council. A gallery to house the collection was subsequently built in Pollok Country Park in 1983.

  [Description based on Scottish Archive Network]

• Access Information

  Open

  Access restrictions may apply. Please contact the Archives for further information.

• Note

  Collection also includes a number of unlisted boxes not included here. Please see Archivist for further information.

• Other Finding Aids

  Descriptive list available at Glasgow City Archives. Some unlisted material.

• Conditions Governing Use

  Application for reproduction should be made to the Archivist.

• Appraisal Information

  This material has been appraised in line with standard GB243 procedures. 

• Accruals

  No further accruals expected.

• Related Material

  Glasgow City Archives, D-TC7/16, Museums and Art Galleries Departmental Reports

  Glasgow City Archives, F12, Parks and Galleries Trust

  Glasgow City Archives, TD232, Technical Drawings from Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

• Corporate Names

  Glasgow Corporation; Museums and Art Galleries Department; 1895-1975