The St Mungo Museum is all about bringing people together.
This museum is a living testament to Glasgow’s patron saint, the icon who brought the Christian faith to Scotland. The site was built by mastermind Ian Begg in the Scottish Baronial style and shows off the importance of religion in Scottish society.
The museum sits right on the Bishop’s Castle, and its famous neighbours, Provand’s Lordship and the medieval Glasgow Cathedral, make for a full day of fun. We’re lucky to still be able to see the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, actually; it almost closed down, but the Glasgow City Council saved it in 2022.
With a focus on the world’s six major religions, you can learn all about religious life and art across different eras until religious life and art in Scotland today. The venue aims to create a safe space for everyone and an educational environment to promote understanding. You can discover different faiths, respect religious figures, and more.
Explore the stunning works in this bustling art location, spend some time gazing at temporary exhibitions, have family fun with the kids discovering different religious traditions, or chill in the first Zen garden in Britain.
Details to Know About St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art
Planning a trip to St Mungo’s, Glasgow? Here’s everything you need to know about the museum, from opening hours and tickets to transportation options and accessibility.
St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art Opening Hours
The St. Mungo museum is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm. On Fridays and Sundays, they are open from 11 am to 5 pm. The museum is unfortunately closed on Tuesdays.
For the 2023 festive season, they will also be closed on the 25th and 26th of December, as well as the 1st and 2nd of January. On New Year’s Eve, they are only open until 12:30 pm.
St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art Ticket Prices
Entry into St Mungos, Glasgow, is completely free! No need to book online in advance, either.
How to Get to St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art
Before getting into all the details about the world’s major religions at St.Mungo Museum Glasgow G4 0RH, plan your method of transportation and route.
Car
St Mungo’s Museum is on Castle Street in Glasgow. If you’re coming in from Edinburgh, prepare for a one-hour trip along the M8. From Dundee, it’s an hour and a half drive on the A9 and M80. There is parking and free disabled parking on Cathedral Street and Collins Street.
Bus
There are tons of First Bus services that make a stop close to the museum on 2 Castle Street, Glasgow, like the 19, 19A, 57A and more.
Rail
You can take the ScotRail to the city centre for a faster trip. The closest station to St Mungo, Glasgow, is the one on High Street, only an 8-minute walk away.
Accessibility
St.Mungo, Glasgow, has tons of accessibility options. There is an accessible toilet on the left after you walk in, a hearing assistance system, and a sign language introduction to the museum. There is also wheelchair and pram access (with free wheelchairs to rent), baby changing facilities, a cloakroom, and lifts. Assistance dogs are welcome, too.
Attractions to See at St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art
Excited about your trip to the St. Mungo’s Museum, Glasgow? Check out all the top attractions at this museum in the bustling city centre below, from galleries showing off religious art and the history of Bishops Castle to family-friendly activities and grabbing a bite at the museum café.
Explore the Galleries
At St Mungo’s, Glasgow, you’ll need to block out a full day for the galleries. It’s one of those Glasgow museums that never run out of displays!
The Gallery of Religious Life
This St Mungo Museum gallery dives into daily life across different faiths. This is where you’ll really get knee-deep into religious life across the big six – Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and Sikhism. Explore old traditions and theories about life and death, and learn more than you could ever imagine.
The Gallery of Religious Art
This gallery displays some of the most incredible artworks embracing religious life and tradition to promote understanding, respect, and a sense of awe. You can see a bronze sculpture of Shiva Nataraja and Saint John the Baptist, beautiful stained glass windows, and incredible paintings like Dora Holdhandler’s ‘The Sabbath Candles’.
The Scottish Gallery
The Scottish Gallery in the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art tells you all about how different religions, traditions, and beliefs have made their mark on Scottish society today.
Don’t Miss the Temporary Exhibitions
The St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art has a constantly changing temporary exhibition — you never know what you’re in for! From family activities and special religious talks to new displays.
Grab a Bite at the Museum café
If you need to reenergize before heading to the next gallery, stop at the restaurant at the St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art. It’s got delicious soups, tasty sandwiches, and drinks to cool off (or heat up!)
Chill Out in the Zen Garden
This was actually the first Zen garden in Britain, so it’s pretty unique, and in some ways, its own landmark. It was designed in the Japanese Zen Buddhist tradition and shows off some elements of nature in a specifically styled way. The café leads right into the garden, and you can enjoy water represented by sand, mountains symbolized by stone, and islands interpreted from patterns of moss and rocks. This is a great place to escape for some solitude and inner reflection.
Family Fun!
Besides learning all about religious life and art with the kids near the city centre, there are tons of activities to do as a family. There’s colouring and tracing on the top floor, phones to play with, a viewing window, and more.
Events & Nearby Attractions
The St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art always has something going on, and hosts a range of interesting events throughout the year, from talks relating to religion. If you’re looking for a spiritual adventure, it’s the best place to go; nearby, you can even find the oldest house in Glasgow and the Glasgow Cathedral!
More Scottish Museums to Visit
- Black Watch Museum
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions
- Edinburgh Writers Museum
- Glasgow Science Centre
- Highland Folk Museum
- Museum of Childhood
- Museum of Edinburgh
- Museum of the Isles
- Museum on the Mound
- National Mining Museum
- National Museum of Flight
- National War Museum
- People’s Palace
- Riverside Museum
- Royal Yacht Britannia
- Scottish Crannog Centre
- Scottish Maritime Museum
- Shetland Museum & Archives
- Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life
- Surgeons’ Hall Museum
- V&A Dundee
