The Hunterian Art Gallery and Museum is one of Glasgow’s slightly more hidden treasures, tucked away on the University of Glasgow's Gilmorehill Campus.
The west end gem is part of a collection of different buildings which the university owns, also including The Mackintosh House.
Though perhaps not as well known as Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the university’s offering is still definitely worth a look. Given its ideal location, it may be worth heading to Ashton Lane or Byres Road afterwards to grab something to eat or drink .
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Where is it?
The Hunterian itself has a few different locations. The Hunterian Museum is located in the iconic Glasgow University main building, while the Hunterian Art Gallery can be found on the other side of University Avenue.
The Hunterian also has a location across from the bigger Kelvingrove at The Hunterian in Kelvinhall, where there is more exhibition space. Finally, if you’re in the area, the University of Glasgow also have zoology, anatomy and county surgeon micro museums.
Specifically, the Art Gallery and Museum can be found at: University of Glasgow, 82 Hillhead St, Glasgow G12 8QQ.
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How do I get there?
The Hunterian is located around 3km west of the city centre and is accessible by car, foot or public transport. The University is signposted locally for drivers heading from the city centre, with driving west from town on Great Western Road being advisable.
Parking for drivers is available on University Avenue with pay and display meters on weekdays, though it is limited. At weekends, parking on campus is free. It is worth noting, though, that with many students living on or next to campus, parking immediately next to the university can be extremely competitive.
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For those wishing to use public transport, the subway stops nearby. Hillhead subway station is the closest to the Hunterian Museum, at most a 10 minute walk, though Kelvinhall is also close by.
The 4 and 4A First Greater Glasgow Buses also serve the university, stopping outside the main building on University Avenue.
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What can I see/do there?
The Hunterian is home to one of the best university collections in the world, with permanent offerings ranging from coinage to minerals or fossils.
The Hunterian and the University of Glasgow play a key role in researching the history of dinosaurs in Scotland and, as a result, play host to some rather important fossils. Scotland’s first dinosaur footprint found in 1982, the first dinosaur track way and several dinosaur bones can be seen here.
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Sticking with the theme, the Hunterian is home to a vast collection of rocks and minerals. In fact, they have over 120,000 rock and mineral specimens in their collections, as well as around 1500 cut gemstones, and 70 meteorites.
On top of the various permanent displays, the Hunterian has a series of visiting, temporary and rotating displays.
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How much does it cost?
It is free to get into the Hunterian Museum and Art gallery for everybody. Special exhibition at the Art Gallery cost £6 for adults and £3 for concessions.
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What other facilities are there?
The Hunterian Museum is fully wheelchair accessible by lift, while the Art Gallery is accessible via combination of lift and ramp. Access is limited to elements of the Mackintosh House due to its age, though some areas are still accessible.
There are no designated catering outlets or cafes in the museum, however, the advantage of its location on university campus is that you can benefit from some of their catering including 1A The Square Café or the Fraser Building.
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