Riverside Museum Verified listing

The Riverside Museum, opened in 2011 and designed by the acclaimed architect Dame Zaha Hadid, is Glasgow’s striking museum of transport and travel. Positioned on the north bank of the Clyde at the junction of the River Clyde and River Kelvin, the flowing roofline of glass and zinc echoes the city's shipbuilding past, forming a jagged, wave-like façade reminiscent of industrial cranes and hulls. This bold architectural gesture glides from the urban center toward the riverside, symbolizing the dynamic relationship between Glasgow's industrial heritage and contemporary creativity Zaha Hadid Architects.

Inside, the museum houses over 3,000 objects showcasing the evolution of transport—from horse‑drawn carriages, prams, and bicycles to vintage cars, trams, buses, motorcycles, and a massive South African Class 15F steam locomotive Built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow in 1945. Exhibits are arranged thematically rather than strictly chronologically, often with playful juxtapositions: trams displayed beside prams, motorbikes arranged in soaring vertical walls, and more than 90 interactive touch screens that bring the stories behind the objects to life.

Visitors can immerse themselves in a recreated historic Glasgow street stretching from the 1890s through to the 1980s, complete with shops, a subway station, and even a cinema façade, offering a sensory-rich time-travel experience Art. Adjacent to the museum at the quayside is the Tall Ship Glenlee, a Clyde-built sailing ship dating from 1896 and one of only five still afloat—also free to explore onboard, providing insight into Glasgow’s maritime legacy.