Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
titanium-clad building by Zaha Hadid is an attraction in its own right, its cathedral-
like interior home to a huge, dramatically displayed collection of trains, boats, trams,
bikes and cars, and the intricate models on which full-scale ships were based.
Interactive exhibits provide engaging background on the city's social fabric, with
walk-through streets incorporating real interiors from Glasgow shops and cafés. he
museum also provides a dock for an attraction known as
The Tall Ship at Glasgow
Harbour
, formed of the square-rigger
Glenlee
, a 245ft-long, three-masted barque
launched on the river in 1896 and now one of only five large sailing vessels built on
Clydeside that are still afloat.
5
The Glasgow Science Centre
50 Pacific Quay • Daily 10am-6pm • £9.95 •
T
0141 420 5000,
W
www.gsc.org.uk • Govan underground
On the south bank of the river, linked to the Scottish Exhibition and Conference
Centre by a pedestrian bridge, are the three space-age, titanium-clad constructions
which make up the
Glasgow Science Centre
. In the dock behind the Science Centre is
the base for Scotland's only regular passenger
seaplane
service (see p.204).
Science Mall
Of the Glasgow Science Centre's three buildings, the largest is the curvaceous, wedge-
shaped
Science Mall
. Behind the vast glass wall that faces the river are four floors of
interactive exhibits ranging from lift-your-own-weight pulleys to high-tech
thermograms. Described as “hands-on info-tainment for the genome generation”, it's
like all your most enjoyable school science experiments packed into one building, with
in-house bo
ns demonstrating chemical reactions, and pensioners and toddlers alike
captivated by cockroach colonies and jigsaw puzzles of human organs. he centre covers
almost every aspect of science, from simple optical illusions to cutting-edge computer
technology, including a section on moral and environmental issues. It's lots of good fun,
although weekends and school holidays are busy and noisy. Within the mall, an
impressive planetarium and 3D virtual science theatre put on regular shows throughout
the day. Alongside the Science Mall is the bubble-like
IMAX theatre
(see p.215).
Glasgow Tower
Also on the site of the Glasgow Science Centre is the 417ft-high
Glasgow Tower
, the
tallest freestanding structure in Scotland, built with an aerofoil-like construction to
allow it to rotate to face into the prevailing wind. Glass lifts ascend to the viewing
cabin at the top, offering terrific panoramic views of central Glasgow.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
CLYDESIDE
On foot
The easiest way to reach the cluster of Clydeside
attractions is to walk
the mile or so west along the riverside
footpath from the city centre.
By underground
Head to Partick for the Riverside
Museum, Govan for the Science Centre.
By train
Jump on a train from Glasgow Central low-level
station to the Exhibition Centre station and use the footbridge
to cross the river to the Science Centre on the south bank.
By bus
Clydeside is served by Arriva buses #23 or #24 from
Renfield Street.
The Southside
he section of Glasgow south of the Clyde is generally described as the
Southside
,
though within this area there are a number of districts with recognizable names,
including the notoriously deprived
Gorbals
and
Govan
, which are sprinkled with new
developments but still obviously derelict and tatty in many parts. here's little reason
to venture here unless you're making your way to the
Science Centre
(see above), the
famously innovative
Citizens' Theatre
(see p.214) or one of the revived architectural
