19 Things to Do Indoors in Glasgow When it’s Raining!

There’s no getting around the fact that it rains a lot in Scotland! Therefore, if you’re in Scotland’s biggest city, i.e. Glasgow, especially at the time of year I’m writing this at, and it starts to ‘pelt it down’ as the locals would say, here are some things to do in Glasgow indoors when the weather is particularly bad!

Glasgow – A Museum & Gallery City!

Glasgow is a city set up for those who love museums and galleries! As a bonus, a lot of them are free to enter most of the year as well with the exception of special exhibitions. Below is a small list and brief description of some interesting museums & galleries in Glasgow to get you started!

• Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum – With everything from Ancient Egypt to Charles Rennie Mackintosh to arms and armour, there’s an amazing variety in one of Scotland’s most popular attractions. Entry is free.
• The Riverside Museum – An award-winning transport museum, there’s everything from skateboards to car to stormtroopers in here! Entry is free.
• The Hunterian Museum – Holds the largest single holding of Charles Rennie Mackintosh works as well as works from Rubens and Rembrandt amongst others. Entry is free.
• The People’s Palace – Set in Glasgow’s Green, The People’s Palace is home to a collection which details how Glaswegians lived, worked and played in years past as well as present. Entry is free.
• The Scottish Football Museum – If you know anything about Glasgow then you know that football has been the heart and soul of the city for well over 100 years, particularly when it comes to the famous Old Firm of Celtic and Rangers! The Scottish Football Museum is therefore a unique insight into Glasgow’s football culture. An adult ticket is around £8.
• The Tenement House Museum – Effectively a time capsule of life into early 20^th Century Glasgow in terms of where and how people lived in Glasgow during that time. An adult ticket is around £7.50.
• The Modern Institute – Working with and exhibiting 42 internationally established and emerging artists since 1997 including Martin Boyce, Jim Lambie and Anne Collier.
• The Lighthouse – Scotland’s national centre for architecture and design. Entry is free.
• The Gallery of Modern Art – Situated right in Glasgow’s centre and displaying artworks from around the world. Entry is free.

Try an Indoor Electric Motocross Track in Glasgow

If you fancy something different and a bit adventurous to do in Glasgow while it’s raining, i-MotoX run an indoor motocross arena near Hampden Stadium. You can hire an electric dirt bike here to try out. Anyone ages 4+ can have a go and there are 3 tracks to choose from depending on experience levels. Full safety clothing and an instructor are included in the price which for kids starts at £12.50+ for a taster session or for adults £25+.

Whiskey Tasting at Clydeside Distillery

Whiskey runs through Scotland’s industrial heritage, so whether you’re a whisky aficionado or would just like to try and learn about whisky for the first time, head to Clydeside Distillery to learn a wee bit about Glasgow’s relationship with whiskey. Serving single malt whiskies down by Glasgow’s docks, tours cost from around £15 per person.

Craft Beer Tasting at Drygate Brewery

If whiskey’s not your thing but you’d still fancy a wee drink, then why not head on a craft beer tour of Drygate Brewery? It is last I checked, the only microbrewery operating in Glasgow. Tours last around 40 minutes and cost around £10 pp. For that you usually get to taste around 4 beers.

Watch a Movie at the Historic Glasgow Film Theatre

First opened in 1939, Glasgow’s Film Theatre is one of Scotland’s original independent cinemas. It’s also home to Glasgow Film Festival and Glasgow Youth Film Festival. There are 3 screen here showing specialised titles. A full adult ticket is around £11.

Go to a gig at the Barrowlands or King Tuts!

Apart from football, music is the heart and soul of Glasgow! So many bands have been discovered in Glasgow’s venues (e.g. Oasis were famously discovered at King Tuts) and you’ll find plenty of live music going on around the city’s venues major and small. For me personally in terms of history, the Barrowlands is definitely up there for being a venue that’s been around in Glasgow for some time. Originally opening in 1934, the Barrlowands has played host to everyone from Bowie to U2 and The Clash! It’s always worth checking out what gigs are on there whenever you’re in town. Otherwise I always recommend a wee jaunt to King Tuts Wah Wah Hut! Another famous venue in Glasgow for unearthing musical talent, it’s played host to bands at the start of their careers including Radiohead, The Killers and Biffy Clyro. Again, it’s always worth checking out what’s on at King Tut’s if you’re in Glasgow!

Try some Retro Gaming at R CADE

If you know your old Nintendo consoles from your Sega Mega Drives and Atari, then this is the place to be! It’s sort of a retro gaming arcade with a Japanese style café. You can play tournaments in here if you’re really into your gaming. Even if you’re not tournament ready though, prices for access to the machines for 30 minutes start at just £3 – so it’s a pretty cheap way to kill a bit of time while the weather dies down! I also just thought it was something different to most places I’ve come across in Glasgow and it’s also next to one of the stops on the Glasgow Mural Trail – so if/when it stops raining you can also head out onto that! 

Enjoy a foodie city

When all else fails, Glasgow is a city that is a a food lover’s paradise, so why not indulge in some of the many great restaurants the capital has to offer! I’m planning on writing much more in the future about Glasgow’s restaurants, but below are some you can try out now:

• Absurd Bird – 3 Stock Exchange, Nelson Mandela Place – Arguably the best fried chicken in the city!
• Pie and Brew – 129 Bath Street – For hearty meals and pints!
• Arta – 62 Albion Street – Tapas, Sangria and Salsa!
• The Brasserie Restaurant (Oran Mor) – 730A Great Western Road – For something Scottish using fantastic local Scottish produce!