Rainy day in Glasgow? 15 indoor plans by Subway stop
It's raining, obviously. Here are 15 indoor plans sorted by the nearest Subway stop (four are a short train ride instead). Each one has opening hours, price, how to get there and a warm café nearby. 11 of the 15 are free.
Every venue, price and opening time was checked on its official website on 21 Oct 2026. Hours change for events and holidays, so check the linked page before a long trip.
SUB
Hillhead
West End
University, Byres Road and the Botanics. Three plans within a short hop of each other, two of them free.
1. Hunterian Museum FREE
Scotland's oldest public museum (opened 1807), inside the University of Glasgow's Gilbert Scott building. Roman finds from the Antonine Wall, the Bearsden Shark, gems, fossils and dinosaurs, and Lord Kelvin's scientific instruments.
Why on a wet day
One grand building at the top of Gilmorehill, with cushioned benches in the Main Hall. A good hour out of the weather that costs nothing.
Hours
Tue–Sun 10am–5pm. Closed Mondays.
Price
Free
Where
Gilbert Scott Building, University of Glasgow (Gilmorehill campus)
Getting there
Hillhead or Kelvinbridge Subway. Buses 4 and 4A from the city centre to University Avenue.
Good to know
Lift access. The balcony lift needs staff to operate it. Sensory bags available.
☕ Warm-up: The Hunterian's page doesn't list a café. Your verified warm-up nearby is the Botanics Tea Room (see Kibble Palace below).
An A-listed Victorian iron-and-glass glasshouse, moved here from Coulport on Loch Long in 1873. Tree ferns (a National Collection), carnivorous plants, a fish pond and marble statues.
Why on a wet day
All the green of the Dear Green Place, with a glass roof over your head. Warm, bright and calming on a grey afternoon.
Hours
Glasshouses 10am–4.15pm in winter (10am–6pm April–September). Grounds 7am–dusk.
Price
Free
Where
730 Great Western Road, G12 0UE
Getting there
Hillhead Subway, then a five-minute walk along Byres Road (council figure).
☕ Warm-up: The Tea Room at the Botanics: Mon–Sat 10am–4.15pm, Sun 11am–4.15pm. Afternoon tea noon–4pm. Bookings 0141 276 1450.
Two big free buildings facing each other across Argyle Street. Between them you can easily fill a wet day.
4. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum FREE
22 galleries covering everything from art to animals and Ancient Egypt to Mackintosh, including Dalí's Christ of St John of the Cross. Free daily recitals on the 1901 organ.
Why on a wet day
The classic Glasgow wet-day plan, and it lives up to it. Big enough that it never feels rammed, with two cafés inside.
Hours
Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm. Fri & Sun 11am–5pm.
Price
Free
Where
Argyle Street, G3 8AG
Getting there
Kelvinhall Subway, about ½ mile. First buses 2, 3 and 77 and McGill's 17 stop out front on Argyle Street.
Good to know
Lifts to all public areas and accessible toilets on every floor. Cloakroom £2, cash only, for coats and small items. Restoration works mean some scaffolding, but the museum stays open.
☕ Warm-up: KG Café (lower level, table service): daily until 4pm. KG Coffee Shop (main hall, counter service): daily until 4.30pm. Both open at 10am, or 11am on Fri and Sun.
A historic hall shared by Glasgow Museums, the Hunterian and the National Library of Scotland, alongside a Glasgow Club sports centre, circus-themed soft play (ages 0–12) and Clip 'n Climb.
Why on a wet day
The rainy-day answer for kids who need to burn energy, right across the road from Kelvingrove. There are building tours on Saturdays too.
Hours
Building: Mon–Fri 6am–10pm, Sat 8am–6pm, Sun 8am–8pm. Partners, displays and the café keep their own hours.
Price
Free entry · soft play & Clip 'n Climb paid
Where
Argyle Street, G3 8AW
Getting there
Kelvinhall Subway (the nearest station). First buses 2, 3 and 77 stop outside.
Good to know
Lifts, a Changing Places toilet, a quiet room and sensory bags from reception.
☕ Warm-up: The Café at Kelvin Hall: Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat–Sun 8.30am–5pm. Breakfast, lunch, kids' meals and cakes.
Get off at Govan and cross the Govan–Partick footbridge. It's the shortest way to the riverside pair.
6. Riverside Museum FREE
Glasgow's transport and technology museum: trams, locomotives, cars, and a recreated cobbled street with shops and its own old Subway station.
Why on a wet day
Huge, free and genuinely good for every age. The recreated street makes even a soggy Sunday feel like an outing.
Hours
Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm. Fri & Sun 11am–5pm.
Price
Free
Where
Riverside campus, beside the Tall Ship. For a sat nav, Glasgow Life suggests entering 'The Riverside Museum' rather than a postcode.
Getting there
Govan Subway is 0.3 miles away, about 5 minutes over the Govan–Partick bridge. Partick Subway and rail are 0.6 miles, on a signposted path from the exit facing Morrisons.
Good to know
Lifts, a Changing Places toilet, and baby changing and feeding. The car park (about 100 spaces) fills fast at weekends.
☕ Warm-up: Riverside Café, inside the museum (menu on the Glasgow Life page).
The Subway gets you closest, but it's still a 20–25 minute walk. On a really wild day, the train to Exhibition Centre plus a walk over the bridge takes about 12–15 minutes.
8. Glasgow Science Centre PAID
Three floors of hands-on science exhibits, plus a planetarium and IMAX (add-ons £3.50 each). Glasgow Tower is currently closed.
Why on a wet day
Hours of indoor play for kids (and curious adults) under one roof. Book ahead on wet weekends.
Hours
Autumn–winter (to 25 Mar 2027): Wed–Fri 10am–3pm, Sat–Sun 10am–5pm, closed Mon–Tue. Open 10am–5pm daily in local school holidays. Hours change for some dates, so check the website.
Cessnock Subway: turn left, then right onto Brand Street, left onto Lorne Street and left onto Pacific Drive (20–25 mins). Or take the train to Exhibition Centre and cross Bells Bridge or the Millennium Bridge (12–15 mins). Buses: Stagecoach X19, First 90, McGill's 23 and 26.
Good to know
Free entry for carers of paying visitors who need assistance.
☕ Warm-up: The Café (hot meals, kids' meals, home baking) and the IMAX Coffee Shop, open from 10am whenever the centre is open.
One for Mackintosh fans. It's a 15–20 minute walk from the Subway, so wear your hood.
9. House for an Art Lover PAID
A house Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed in 1901 that wasn't built until almost a century later. There's a self-guided Mackintosh exhibition with an audio handset, plus a café and shop.
Why on a wet day
A long, warm lunch in a beautiful building, with Bellahouston Park outside the window for when it eases off.
Hours
Café daily 10am–5pm. The exhibition's hours change week to week because of private events (in the week of 19 Oct it was mostly mornings, and closed Fri 23 Oct). Check the weekly times or call 0141 483 1600 before you go.
Price
Paid: £9.50 adult, £8 child/concession/student, under-10s free, family (2+2) £25
Where
10 Dumbreck Road, Bellahouston Park, G41 5BW
Getting there
Ibrox Subway, then a 15–20 minute walk via Copland Road, Paisley Road West and Dumbreck Road. Or Dumbreck station (rail), 15–20 mins. Buses 9, 10 and 38 run along Paisley Road West.
Good to know
Ramped entrances and an internal lift. Four Blue Badge spaces.
☕ Warm-up: Art Lover's Café: breakfast from 10am, lunch noon–5pm, afternoon tea from 1.30pm.
The easiest drop-in in town. Handy between showers, or before a train from Queen Street or Central.
10. Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) FREE
The city's contemporary art collection across four galleries, plus a library and shop. On now: Duncan Campbell: A New No (to 4 Jan 2027) and Still Glasgow (to 13 Jun 2027).
Why on a wet day
Right in the middle of town and free, so you can pop in for 20 minutes or stay all afternoon.
Hours
Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm. Fri & Sun 11am–5pm.
Price
Free
Where
Royal Exchange Square, G1 3AH
Getting there
Buchanan Street Subway is the nearest station. It's a short walk from Queen Street and Central, and less than 10 minutes from Buchanan Bus Station.
Good to know
Accessible toilet on the lower ground floor. A prayer room.
☕ Warm-up: GoMA's own café, open every day during gallery hours.
A small, cosy plan up the hill from Sauchiehall Street.
11. The Tenement House (National Trust for Scotland) PAID
Miss Agnes Toward's flat, kept almost exactly as she lived in it from 1911 to 1965: gaslight, a coal-fired range, recess beds, even a pot of homemade jam dated 1929.
Why on a wet day
Nothing says 'hunker down' like a Glasgow tenement kitchen. Short, charming and very Glasgow.
Hours
Daily 10am–5pm (last entry 4.30pm). Closed 5–18 Nov 2026 for window conservation, and 24 Dec–4 Jan.
Cowcaddens Subway, 0.3 miles. To avoid the steep hill, come into Buccleuch Street from Cambridge Street.
Good to know
15 steps up to reception and the flat. Braille guidebook available.
☕ Warm-up: The Wally Dug café is normally open 10am–4.30pm and you don't need an admission ticket. It's closed 19 Oct–2 Nov and 5–18 Nov 2026. ScotRail 2-for-1 entry applies with a rail ticket and voucher.
Not on the Subway. Take the train to High Street, or walk up from Buchanan Street and Argyle Street. Two free plans face each other on Castle Street.
12. St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art FREE
Galleries exploring religion in people's lives across the world and through time. It's built on the site of the medieval Bishops' Castle and has Britain's first Zen garden.
Why on a wet day
Quiet, thoughtful and rarely busy, next to the Cathedral. Pair it with Provand's Lordship across the road.
Hours
Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm. Fri & Sun 11am–5pm.
Price
Free
Where
Castle Street, G4 0RH
Getting there
High Street station (rail) is the nearest. First buses 19, 19A, 38, 57 and 57A stop nearby.
Good to know
Lifts to all public areas and free wheelchair loan at reception.
☕ Warm-up: The Historic Scotland shop inside sells grab-and-go refreshments.
Glasgow's oldest house, built in 1471, recently reopened after a £1.6 million repair. 17th-century furniture and royal portraits. The St Nicholas Garden behind it has the Tontine Heads sculptures.
Why on a wet day
Low ceilings, thick walls and 550 years of shelter. A short visit that pairs perfectly with St Mungo.
Hours
Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm. Fri & Sun 11am–5pm.
Price
Free
Where
Castle Street, G4 0RB
Getting there
Opposite St Mungo Museum. High Street station (rail).
Good to know
No hearing assistance system. An autism-friendly storyboard is available.
☕ Warm-up: Cross the road to the St Mungo Museum shop for grab-and-go refreshments.
The one with late opening: free, warm and open until 8pm twice a week.
14. The Mitchell Library FREE
One of Europe's largest public libraries, with more than a million items, the City Archives and family-history resources. New exhibition: Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery (26 Oct–31 Dec 2026).
Why on a wet day
Free Wi-Fi, quiet corners and a café. A rare free indoor option after dark on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
About 10 minutes by train from Central, then a free shuttle bus through Pollok Park, so you barely get wet.
15. The Burrell Collection FREE
Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023: Chinese ceramics, medieval stained glass and Impressionist paintings across three floors, with more than 90 digital displays.
Why on a wet day
A big, bright building in the woods, with views out to the trees, five indoor picnic areas and a proper restaurant.
Hours
Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–5pm. Fri & Sun 11am–5pm.
Price
Free
Where
Pollok Country Park, Pollokshaws Road, G43 1AT
Getting there
Train from Central to Pollokshaws West (about 10 mins), then under 5 minutes' walk to the park entrance at 2060 Pollokshaws Road. A free electric shuttle bus loops to the museum 10am–6.15pm. Buses 57/57A, 3 and 34/34A.
Good to know
Two Changing Places toilets, step-free main entrance, wheelchair loan, quiet room.
☕ Warm-up: The Burrell restaurant: Mon–Thu & Sat 10am–4pm, Fri & Sun 11am–4pm (last orders 3.15pm). Or bring a piece and use the indoor picnic areas.
Sunday Subway shuts early. Mon–Sat 6.30am–11.40pm, but Sunday only 10am–6.12pm. A full circuit takes 24 minutes and an adult single costs from £1.80. You can tap in with contactless.
Friday and Sunday start late. The Glasgow Life museums (Kelvingrove, Riverside, GoMA, St Mungo, Provand's Lordship, Burrell) open at 11am on Fridays and Sundays and 10am on other days. Don't queue in the rain at 10.
Monday and Tuesday closures. The Hunterian is closed on Mondays. Glasgow Science Centre is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays until 25 March 2027, except during local school holidays. On a wet Monday, Kelvingrove, Riverside and the Burrell are all open.
Hood, not umbrella. On a windy wet day an umbrella won't last Buchanan Street. Wear a waterproof with a hood and pack a dry pair of socks for the kids.
Bring coins. Kelvingrove's cloakroom is £2, cash only, and only takes coats and small items. The Mitchell Library has no cloakroom or lockers at all.
Prams on the Subway. SPT asks for prams and pushchairs to be folded, and there's no space for large ones. On pram days, a bus to Kelvingrove (First 2, 3 and 77 stop outside) is easier.
Pair them up. Kelvingrove + Kelvin Hall, Riverside + Tall Ship, St Mungo + Provand's Lordship, and Hunterian + Kibble Palace are each a short walk apart. One trip, two plans.
Dark by teatime. The clocks go back at 2am on Sun 25 Oct 2026, and after that it gets dark before 5pm. Do anything with a walk in the daylight and save the indoor plans for late afternoon. The Mitchell is open until 8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Check warnings. Before a big day out, check the Met Office for Strathclyde warnings and ScotRail for engineering works.
Take it with you: the free PDF
15 indoor plans by Subway stop: what each place is, why it works in the wet, hours, free or paid, how to get there and where to warm up afterwards. Every fact checked on 21 Oct 2026.
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