Glasgow Science Centre
Explore 300 hands-on exhibits, interactive workshops and live science shows. The Centre provides a good variety of exhilarating experiences.
On the south bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow, is the Glasgow Science Centre, the science and technology museum which was awarded a five star rating in the visitor attraction category by the Scottish Tourist Board, Visit Scotland.
Great news indeed as it was reportedly struggling to cope with a large financial deficit within first year of being open.
The Centre hosts the superb IMAX Theatre, which was opened in 2001 and was the first cinema of its kind in Scotland. Films in 2D and 3D on a mind blowing screen, said to be larger than an eight storey building, show the entire world system like it has never been seen before. The digital sound system is 12,000 watts, which is largely unheard of.
Also within the Glasgow Science Centre is the 105m high Glasgow Tower, the only tower in the world to rotate 360° from the ground up, offering breathtaking views of Glasgow. In fact it has many attractions, all brought together to entertain and excite, and where children can explore scientific principles. Stylish and futuristic, a magnificent site housed in 3 iconic buildings, it is located 1 mile from the city centre, opposite the SECC and BBC, on the banks of the River Clyde. With it's gleaming titanium crescent, the science centre can be seen for miles around.
The Science Mall building has the Scottish Power Planetarium, a climate change theatre, and three floors of interactive exhibits, including 'Alice Through the Looking Glass,' an interactive experience about perception.
The Mall also features many intriguing and entertaining hands-on science exhibits and provides lively learning experiences for all members of the family.
The magical experience of science is carried on through the first floor where visitors can take part in workshops, see
a science theatrical live show or get involved with hands-on exhibitions.
On the second floor more workshops can be taken, and an unbelievable experience with amusing results can be seen through creating 3D models of different body parts. The three floors are packed with exhibits, cafes and a shop. It can get busy at the weekends, so it's best to visit during the week, when most of the interactive exhibits can be accessed without waiting too long. What makes Glasgow Science Centre so magical is that you are presented with the opportunity to interact with science.
Glasgow Science Centre is one of Scotland's must-see attractions.
Opening Times & Entrance Fees
Open 7 days 10am-5pm
Adults (16+) £9.95
Child & Concession £7.95
Please note there is a £3 car parking fee.
Edinburgh Zoo
Open since 1913, and still going strong, Edinburgh Zoo gives you the opportunity to meet over 1,000 animals, and is the most exciting wildlife attraction in Scotland.
Recognised as one of the worlds leading zoos, there are many conservation breeding programmes in place that give priority to the physical and behavioural welfare of the animals in their care.
With the mission statement ...
to “inspire and excite visitors… to promote the conservation of threatened species and habitats” you get a fair idea of what this Zoo is all about.
Owned by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, it's our second most popular paid for tourist attraction with over 600,000 visitors a year.
Edinburgh Zoo is constantly being updated with new enclosures being created for the animals. There are educational facilities for both children and adults, and a visit here may well inspire you and make you want to save the animals of the world.
Located at Corstorphine Hill, about four miles from the city centre of Edinburgh, and set in 80 acres of beautiful parkland, there is something for everyone. You will meet Gorillas, Polar Bears, lions and tigers, giraffes, camels and monkeys, as well as a huge range of other animals. The new ape accommodation hosts a group of lowland gorillas, the first to be seen in Scotland, and the Zoo also boasts the first penguins to be seen outside of the South Atlantic.
The penguin house is one of the most popular attractions and the highlight has to be the daily “Penguin Parade.”
The parade started accidentally when one of the keepers left open a gate to the penguin pool, and was followed by penguins all around the zoo. That was the start and now the Edinburgh Zoo penguin parade has about 120 penguins marching around every afternoon in summer.
They are let out of their cage to take part in the march around a designated route through the zoo.
That's not all you'll see. Pygmy hippos, snow leopards, meerkats, and blue poison arrow frogs, an extensive collection of birds, the list goes on. You are allowed to handle some of the smaller animals like rats, snails and snakes. There are many other attractions, which include the Hilltop Safari Tour, with free rides to the top of the hill, the Magic Forest, African Plains Experience, the Maze, children's play areas, gift shops and restaurants.
You can follow the conservation trail, there to raise awareness of nature conservation, and there is also a rainy weather trail to help keep you dry in inclement weather, which is not a bad idea when you're in Scotland.
The Zoo can be reached by train, bus or car and regularly hosts events to increase public awareness to the plight of many endangered species. You can lend support to the zoo in many ways, such as Membership and Donations, Animal Adoption, Legacies and Volunteering. A warm welcome and a great day out for all the family is guaranteed at Edinburgh Zoo.
Opening Times
Open every day of the year :
April - September 9am - 6pm
October and March 9am - 5pm
November - February 9am - 4:30pm
Admission Prices
Adults £14
Children 3 -15 years £9.50
Concession £12
Family Tickets 2 adults + 2 children £42
2 adults + 3 children £50
Car parking £3.50
The Royal Yacht Britannia
The most famous ship in the world, the Royal Yacht Britannia was launched at John Brown's Shipyard in Clydebank on the 16th April 1953.
She has served the British Royal Family for over 40 years, clocking up more than one million miles around the globe, including Royal Family holidays and more than 900 official voyages.
Britannia has carried on a tradition of Royal Yachts, dating as far back as 300 years to the reign of Charles II.
Moored at Leith, a short bus ride from the centre of Edinburgh, and with the airport less than 30 minutes away, this magnificent ship has been host to some of the worlds most famous people.
The Royal Yacht Britannia, recommended by BBC News as "Scotland's leading visitor-friendly attraction", is a must-see when in Edinburgh.
Britannia was originally intended to serve as a mobile refuge for the Royal Family in the event of nuclear warfare with the Soviet Union, but Britannia is now the most popular of Leith's attractions.
In addition to her official duties She was used to promote British industry abroad, and four Royal couples have honeymooned on board, including Prince Charles and Princess Diana. When none of the royal family were on board, the jack and ensign were worn in the normal fashion.
The Royal Yacht Britannia has sailed all over the world, from the South Seas to Antarctica. Her 4,000 tons was designed so that she could be converted into a hospital ship if that became necessary.
Decommissioned in 1997, when The Queen decided that no other Royal Yacht would replace Her, corporate guests can now enjoy sampling fine cuisine from her fully-functioning galleys. After fierce competition from other cities in the UK, Edinburgh was successful in her bid to be Her new home, and She is now Scotland's seventh most popular paid-for tourist attraction.
Guests are piped aboard via the Royal Brow and taken on a personal tour, then welcomed into the State Apartments where they can enjoy cocktails and canapés. After dinner, guests can enjoy a talk by one of Britannia’s past Admirals, and evening events are hosted in the State Apartments, furnished with original items from the Royal Collection.
Your visit starts with a look around the Visitor Centre, located on the second floor of the Ocean Terminal. Here you will find photographs, exhibits and displays. Discover Britannia's fascinating past before collecting your audio handset and stepping on board, following in the footsteps of Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family.
The personal audio tour will lead you around the Yacht's five decks.
Starting at the Bridge and finishing in the Engine Room, you will get a glimpse of not only the British Royal Family life, but also the reality of life and work on board. You can also view the royal bedrooms, but not enter them as the yacht's new owners consider that such access would be "inappropriate".
Your tour ends in the Engine Room, spectacular and gleaming as it has always been. After your tour, you can visit the Royal Yacht Britannia shop where you will find a fine selection of exclusive gifts.
To get the best from your Royal Yacht Britannia tour I would recommend you allow at least two hours. A fascinating insight into the lifestyle of the Royal family, this is now one of Edinburgh's most popular attractions.
Opening Times & Admission Prices
November - March 10.00-3.30pm
April - June 10.00-4pm
July - September 9.30-4.30pm
October 10.00-4pm
Adults £10.50
Senior Citizen £9
Children (aged 5-17) £6.75
Family of 2 adults & up to 3 children £31
Students (ID) & Armed Forces £9
Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, with one of Europe's great civic art collections is Scotland’s number 1 visitor attraction.
With FREE entry and over 8,000 objects on display, a visit to Glasgow is just not complete without making a point of seeing this superb art gallery & museum.
Kelvingrove reopened its doors in 2006 following a £28M restoration project. It really is a great day out, and even before you enter the museum, you can take a walk in the surroundings of Kelvingrove Park with its 85 acres of beautiful, picturesque grounds.
The magnificent Victorian red sandstone building is one of Glasgow's most famous landmarks. Proudly holding the reputation of being Glasgow's most loved building, it is a major attraction to both city residents and tourists from all over the world, and is the most visited museum in the UK outside the city of London. This impressive building is the main museum in the city, and it houses amongst other things, a vast collection of paintings and sculptures, early firearms, Scottish arms and armour, medieval swords, crossbows, duelling weapons, silver, ceramics, clothing and furniture.
Viewing the the full collection will let you see everything from decorative arts to the natural world and archaeology, from 300-million-year-old fossils to marine life, and a natural history department. Glasgow's famous son, Charles Rennie MacKintosh is also represented here, and you can see a major collection of his work which is on permanent display.
There is also a fantastic art collection including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Monet, Turner and Whistler.
One of the gallery's most famous paintings, Salvador Dali's "Christ of St John of the Cross" is on display in the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life, beside Glasgow Cathedral.
On the first floor are new education focused facilities like the History Discovery Centre, the Study Centre, and the Multimedia Object Cinema. The exhibition halls concentrate on Natural History/Zoology, Archaeology, History and Fine Arts. The shops in the Kelvingrove area sell a selection of products inspired by the collections.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has a range of facilities you'd expect from a world class museum, and is the highlight of any trip to Glasgow. The Gallery is available to hire for corporate and private events, there is wheelchair access and a lift to the main galleries, disabled toilets, and some staff have been trained in basic British Sign Language. Photography and filming for personal use is allowed, but you have to get a permission form. Flash photography and tripods are not permitted.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has the reputation of being Scotland’s most popular free visitor attraction, which is fully justified, because a fabulous day out for the whole family is guaranteed.