Quick answer: the best free indoor things to do in Glasgow when it’s raining are the Glasgow Life museums (Kelvingrove, Riverside, the Burrell and GoMA), the Hunterian, the Mitchell Library and Kelvin Hall. Entry to all of them is free. If you’ll pay, the best wet-day picks are the Glasgow Science Centre, soft play at Kelvin Hall, bowling at Springfield Quay, a swim at a Glasgow Club pool or a film at the GFT.
Last checked: 26 October 2026.
One thing to know before you set off. The Science Centre is shut on Mondays and Tuesdays until March, so check the day before you go. The other places below were open on their own pages when we checked.
Free indoor things to do in Glasgow
Start here. You don’t need to book any of these, you can just walk in. Donations are welcome at the Glasgow Life ones.
| Place | Area | Open |
|---|---|---|
| Kelvingrove | West End, Argyle Street | 10am to 5pm, Fri and Sun from 11am |
| Riverside Museum | By the Clyde and Kelvin | 10am to 5pm, Fri and Sun from 11am |
| The Burrell Collection | Pollok Country Park | 10am to 5pm, Fri and Sun from 11am |
| GoMA | City centre, Royal Exchange Square | 10am to 5pm, Fri and Sun from 11am |
| St Mungo Museum | Castle Street, by the Cathedral | 10am to 5pm, Fri and Sun from 11am |
| Provand’s Lordship | Castle Street | 10am to 5pm, Fri and Sun from 11am |
| The Hunterian | University of Glasgow | Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm |
| Kelvin Hall | West End, Argyle Street | Mon to Fri 6am to 10pm, Sat 8am to 6pm, Sun 8am to 8pm |
| The Mitchell Library | North Street | Mon to Sat, closed Sunday (hours below) |
Hours are from each venue’s own page, read on 26 October 2026. Times change, so check the page before you go.
- Kelvingrove is still open while repairs go on. Glasgow Life says some areas are scaffolded, and the car parking spaces on the west side of the building have been closed since 18 August 2025. Disabled bays stay open.
- The Burrell sits in a park and shuts when there’s a weather warning for high winds (it did on Sunday 25 October). On a stormy day, look at its page before you drive out to Pollok.
- The Hunterian has a free museum and a free art gallery. The Mackintosh House, also run by the Hunterian, has an entry charge, and the venues page doesn’t list the price.
- Not open: the People’s Palace and Scotland Street School Museum are both closed for refurbishment, so skip them for now.
Our guide to free museums in Glasgow has more on what’s inside each one.
The Mitchell Library and your local library
The Mitchell on North Street is free to walk into. It opens 9am to 5pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 9am to 8pm on Tuesday and Thursday. It has free wifi and over 50 PCs for public use, and a licensed café on the ground floor. The café shuts at 4.15pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 5.45pm on Tuesday and Thursday. There’s an exhibition on Agatha Christie there from 26 October to 31 December 2026.
Glasgow Life says that from Sunday 1 November 2026 you can drop into any of its libraries for free tea and coffee. Our Glasgow libraries guide covers joining and what’s on offer.
Things to do in Glasgow with kids when it’s raining
For the full list, see our things to do with kids in Glasgow guide. These are the best wet-day ones.
Toddlers and babies
- Bookbug. Free songs, stories and rhymes for babies, toddlers and under 5s with a parent or carer. Sessions last 30 to 45 minutes. No ticket is needed but spaces are first come, first served. They run at libraries across the city on every day of the week. For example, the Mitchell has one at 10am on Tuesday and Thursday, and several libraries run one on a Saturday morning. Check the Glasgow Life Bookbug listing for your nearest.
- Soft play at Kelvin Hall. There’s a separate area for babies and younger children. Prices are per session: under 1 is £1.00, ages 1 to 2 are £7.00 at peak or £6.00 off-peak, and every adult pays £1.00. Sessions last 105 minutes. Peak means weekends and school holidays. Book on the Glasgow Club app or call 0141 287 2627, and the page recommends pre-booking at weekends. See the soft play page for session times.
- Free family swimming is run in the school holidays where possible. See the swimming section below.
Older kids and families
- Kelvingrove Discover. A free, drop-in session for families with children at Kelvingrove, every Saturday from 1.30pm to 4pm, where you make things and handle objects. There are no sessions on 7 and 21 November or 5 December. Ask a member of staff where it’s being held.
- Glasgow Science Centre. Day entry (Science Mall) is £15.50 for adults and £12.00 for children aged 3 to 15 when you add the donation, or £14.09 and £10.90 without. Under 3s are free. Planetarium and IMAX documentary add-ons are £3.50 each on top of day entry. The Glasgow Tower is currently closed. Its winter hours are below.
- Riverside Museum is free and has a free climate trail and an autism-friendly storyboard you can download from its page.
- Bowling at Springfield Quay. Hollywood Bowl says bumpers can be raised on any lane, and ramps let very young children push the ball down the lane themselves.
Things to do in Glasgow for adults and couples
For a full evening plan, our date night ideas guide has more. For a wet afternoon, try these:
- A film at the Glasgow Film Theatre. It’s at 12 Rose Street, G3 6RB. Its visiting page lists full price at £12.25, or £10.75 with a Cinecard, with a £7.40 bargain matinee price for standard shows before 5pm on Fridays. Read that page on 26 October and check before booking, as prices change.
- GoMA and the Hunterian are both free to walk into, and GoMA has a café that’s open every day.
- The Mitchell Library exhibition and café. Free to walk in. The café is licensed if you fancy a glass of wine or a beer.
- Bowling with food and drink. Hollywood Bowl at Springfield Quay has a bar and diner you can order from your lane.
Need food after? Our best restaurants and brunch guides are the place to start.
Things to do in Glasgow with teenagers
- Bowling and arcade. Hollywood Bowl at Springfield Quay (G5 8NP) has 25 lanes, arcade games, pool and interactive darts. It opens at 10am Monday to Friday and 9am at weekends, and closes at midnight most days and 1am on Friday and Saturday.
- The Science Centre. The adult ticket starts at age 16. Children under 16 must have an adult over 18 with them.
- The cinema. The GFT lists a 15-25 card price of £6.90 on its visiting page.
- Swimming. Glasgow Club lists junior swimming (under 18) at £2.75 a swim. Children over 8 and under 18 can swim unaccompanied at free family swims.
- CoderDojo. Glasgow Life lists free CoderDojo coding clubs for ages 8 to 17 on its children’s library page.
- Climbing. Kelvin Hall also has Clip ‘n Climb. Glasgow Life’s page doesn’t give prices or age limits, so call 0141 287 2627 before you go.
Swimming and soft play
Pay as you go recreational and lane swimming at Glasgow Club pools is £5.50 for adults, £2.75 for juniors under 18 and £2.75 for concessions, with prices effective 1 August 2026 (read 26 October 2026). Our Glasgow swimming pools guide lists every pool, its hours and what it has.
Free family swimming lets up to five swim free together (one adult and four children, or two adults and three children). It’s programmed in school holidays where possible and you don’t need to book. Sessions don’t run every week, so check the page before you go. Adults without children pay the normal price.
Soft play is at Kelvin Hall, covered above. Weekday sessions start at 9.30am, 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm and 5.15pm. Weekend sessions start at 9am, 11.15am, 1.30pm and 3.45pm. Children aged 3 to 12 pay £8.00 at peak and £7.00 off-peak.
Checking what’s on
- Glasgow Science Centre: its winter hours are Wednesday to Friday 10am to 3pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm until 25 March 2027, with different hours in the school holidays. Check its page for the week you’re going.
- Glasgow Life events: story times, holiday parties and family workshops at its museums and libraries are listed by date on Glasgow Life’s what’s on page. The main list doesn’t always show costs or ages, so open the event before you go.
- Every Saturday: Discover at Kelvingrove, 1.30pm to 4pm, free.
Getting around when it’s wet
The Subway runs round the city centre and West End. For the south side and the Burrell, the train or a bus will get you most of the way. Check spt.co.uk for Subway times. If you’re driving, our free parking in Glasgow guide is worth a look first.
FAQ
What can you do in Glasgow when it’s raining?
Go to a free museum or gallery first: Kelvingrove, Riverside, the Burrell, GoMA, the Hunterian or the Mitchell Library. Paid options include the Science Centre, soft play at Kelvin Hall, bowling, swimming and the cinema.
What are the best free indoor things to do in Glasgow?
The Glasgow Life museums, the Hunterian, Kelvin Hall and the Mitchell Library are all free to enter. Glasgow Life also runs free Bookbug sessions for under 5s and a free Saturday family session at Kelvingrove.
What can you do with kids in Glasgow when it’s raining?
Try Riverside or Kelvingrove for free, soft play at Kelvin Hall, the Science Centre, bowling at Springfield Quay or a swim. Our kids guide has more.
What can you do with toddlers on a rainy day in Glasgow?
Bookbug at a library is free and short. Kelvin Hall’s soft play has a separate area for babies and younger children, and under 1s pay £1.00. Under 3s go free at the Science Centre.
What can adults and couples do indoors in Glasgow?
A film at the GFT, the Hunterian or GoMA, the exhibition and café at the Mitchell Library, or bowling with food and drink at Springfield Quay.
What is there for teenagers to do indoors in Glasgow?
Bowling and arcade games, the Science Centre, a swim or the cinema.
What’s open today or this weekend in Glasgow when it’s raining?
The Glasgow Life museums open every day, with Fridays and Sundays starting at 11am. The Hunterian is shut on Mondays. The Science Centre is shut Mondays and Tuesdays until March. Check the venue’s page for today’s hours.
Is the Glasgow Science Centre open every day?
No. In autumn and winter (31 August 2026 to 25 March 2027) it’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Check the official opening times page before you go, as it says hours are subject to change.
Are the Glasgow museums free?
Yes. Entry is free at Kelvingrove, Riverside, the Burrell, GoMA, St Mungo Museum and Provand’s Lordship. Donations are welcome.
Opening times, prices and events change. Everything above was read from the venues’ own websites on 26 October 2026, so check the linked page before you set off.
