Guides

Things to do in Glasgow by season: winter, spring, summer

What to do in Glasgow through the year: living collections in spring, parks in summer and autumn, and museums in winter.

You can keep Glasgow interesting through the year without waiting for a particular festival or a perfect forecast. Make living plants the focus in spring, give the parks more time in summer and autumn, and choose a museum with a subject you enjoy in winter. Here is one outing for each season, with room to change the balance between indoors and out.

1. Winter: transport stories at Riverside Museum

Make Riverside the destination on a winter day, rather than just somewhere to escape the rain. Its transport and technology collections give you a way into Glasgow's working life beside the Clyde. Choose one theme to explore properly, with an outdoor look at the setting only if conditions suit.

Good to know

  • Entry is free.
  • Check the Glasgow Life venue page for opening times, especially around public holidays.
  • Download a museum trail before visiting if you would like a more focused route through the displays.

2. Spring: living collections at Glasgow Botanic Gardens

Spring is a good reason to slow down and look closely at the Botanic Gardens' living collections. Explore the outdoor trees and grounds, then make time for the temperate and tropical plants in the glasshouses. The interest is in the range of plants, so you need not time the visit around a particular flower.

Good to know

  • Check current glasshouse access and opening times on the council website before you go.
  • Plan the outdoor walk and glasshouse visit separately so an access change does not spoil the whole outing.
  • Bring shoes you are happy to walk in along the gardens beside the River Kelvin.

3. Summer: Kelvingrove Park and the art museum

Give the outdoor part of a West End day more room in summer. Walk through Kelvingrove Park beside the River Kelvin, then choose a few galleries inside Kelvingrove rather than trying to cover the whole museum. With play areas and a skatepark in the park, you can also make this a mixed family outing.

Good to know

  • Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has free entry.
  • The park has two play parks; choose one as a clear meeting point if visiting with friends.
  • Check the museum recital schedule if you would like to hear the organ during your indoor stop.

4. Autumn: Pollok Country Park and the Burrell Collection

Choose Pollok for an autumn day that can change with the weather. Start with a woodland or riverside walk, then spend time with the Burrell Collection's art and objects. You do not need a promise of autumn colour to enjoy the contrast between landscape and collection.

Good to know

  • The park is open at all times; the Burrell has separate museum hours and free entry.
  • Read the council closure notice before choosing a route around Pollok House; some nearby paths and gardens are affected by works.
  • Keep the Burrell as the main stop if conditions are poor, with a shorter park walk rather than a fixed circuit.

Quick tips

  • Book or check any special activity separately; these outings do not depend on an annual event taking place.
  • Choose one main destination each day and let the outdoor portion expand or shrink with the weather.
  • Want company? Check upcoming events in Glasgow on Socroo below and find someone to go with.

Upcoming events

Things to do in Glasgow: art, museums and parks Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum Glasgow Botanic Gardens Riverside Museum The Burrell Collection Pollok Country Park Visit Glasgow: parks and gardens