The People’s Palace on Glasgow Green could be getting a major makeover as part of a huge £36 million project. If funding is secured, the adjoining Winter Gardens glass conservatory will also get some very much needed attention.
The museum has been around since 1898 and showcases the social and cultural history of the Scottish city. But a report by Glasgow’s convener for culture said that the current layout of the galleries were not up to scratch in terms of accessibility and inclusion.
The site already went through £350,000 worth of upgrades in 2018, gaining a new fire escape, cafe and retail space. Despite this, the museum is still in pretty bad shape. Another report warned that the building’s collection of exhibits was at risk from its failing building structure, water ingress, plaster damage and ageing mechanical and engineering systems.
The Winter Gardens similarly fell into disrepair and have been closed since 2019. Over the past four or so years, many of the trees and plants inside haven’t been able to survive.
Glasgow City Council is looking for £19.5 million from National Lottery and private sources to help fund the refurbishment. It will supply £11 million itself, while a further £5m has also been secured.
Paul Sweeney, Labour MSP for Glasgow welcomed the funding but voiced his disappointment over the need for it. He told Architects Journal: ‘Glasgow has been short-changed for decades and, because the city has no ‘national’ galleries in the way Edinburgh does, long-term sustainable funding has been hard to come by.
‘There is no clearer example of that failure of public policy than the People’s Palace; an attraction that should be the pride of Glasgow, and indeed Scotland, that has been neglected and allowed to fall into a ruinous state.’
If the bid is successful, work would commence early next year and be expected to finish by autumn 2027.
Did you see that Soho House is opening its first members’ club in Scotland next year?
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