Emma Spending the day with Mackintosh: The Glasgow Style and more
This year marks the 150th birthday of the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and what better way to celebrate than with a day out in Glasgow visiting some of the sights in his hometown!
The first location of the day, Kelvingrove Art Galleries , opens from 10am. By the time I arrived there was a healthy queue of people of all ages waiting to get in.
Whilst waiting for the doors to open I took a wander around the exterior of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which looks impressive after all these years. The 1901 building looks amazing for its age.
First stop, breakfast! Go downstairs to the cafe and you’ll get a wide selection of goodies from porridge to haggis or eggs Benedict.
I’m a big fan of sweet and creamy porridge so I was very happy. Suitably fed, it was time to be educated. The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Making the Glasgow Style exhibition runs daily from now until 14th August 2018.
The cost to view the exhibition is £7/£5 concession with under 16s free.
Whether you’re a Mack addict or not there’s lots of rare stuff to see. From original pieces that have been conserved and are now receiving their first view to the well-known tearoom chairs.
I especially liked how the exhibition brings together friends and contemporaries of Mackintosh. Showing how they worked together to create the Glasgow style.
The next attraction was the Hunterian Art Gallery, a short journey from Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. The Mackintosh House is a re-assembly of the home of Charles and his wife Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh. The building contains the original pieces from the the Mackintoshs’ home, therefore security is strict and unfortunately no photography is allowed.
If you are a big fan of his work, then visiting here is a must for the real deal.
Admission to The Mackintosh House is by guided tour weekday mornings and free flow afternoons and weekends. Last admission is at 4.15pm (3.15pm on Sundays). Admission £6.
Finally a trip Southside to Bellahouston Park to visit House for an Art Lover.
Designed by Mackintosh in 1901 for a competition to design a “Haus Eines Kunstfreundes” or “Art Lover’s House” set by a German design magazine. The sketches lay unwonted until 1989 when Graham Roxburgh, the Consulting Engineer responsible for restoring Mackintosh interiors in nearby Craigie Hall, had the idea to finally build the House for an Art Lover.
Many years later in 1996 the building was opened to the public. The grounds are free however it is well worth the £6 entrance fee for the house as it truly is a stunning piece of work.
It was time to rest and recuperate with some delish food from the restaurant. Lentil soup with bread followed by Spring vegetable gnocchi.
Venturing to the House for an Art Lover for lunch or just a coffee is well worth it for great food, service and surroundings.
if you can’t make it outside but still want to celebrate, then raise a cup of coffee. Gordon Street Coffee are celebrating the birthday of Charles Rennie Mackintosh with a special coffee blend. This can be bought online or in their shop.
Find out more:
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Making the Glasgow Style
Gordon Street Coffee
