The tenth anniversary of the reopening of the "magnificent" Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum has been celebrated in the city's West End.
Since it reopened on July 11 2006 following a three-year, £27.9 million refurbishment, the gallery has welcomed more than 14 million visitors.
To mark the occasion, Dr Jim Hunter, honorary director of music and Chris Nickol staged a unique organ recital at the major visitor attraction.
Magnificent: The revamped Kelvingrove building has welcomed more than 14 million visitors in ten years.
They played ten pieces of music selected by the public, including another rendition of David Bowie’s Life on Mars, which made Chris a social media sensation earlier this year.
Chair of Glasgow Life, Councillor Archie Graham, said: “Kelvingrove is a magnificent and much-loved building, which has brought the world of art, history and natural history to life for visitors for more than 100 years.
"The outstanding refurbishment, which was unveiled to great applause ten years ago today, preserved the building and collection – and all the joy and discovery that comes with it – for generations to come.
“An astonishing 14 million people have wandered through and wondered at this Aladdin’s cave. It is an exceptional legacy of Glasgow’s proud past and it has been instrumental in placing the city on the must-visit list of the world’s top travel guides.
“One of Kelvingrove’s major innovations is that it’s a genuinely flexible museum. By changing stories we ensure our displays remain up to date, responding to new discoveries and reflecting public interest.
"Whether you’re an old friend or a new visitor I invite you to explore life, art and culture in all its amazing diversity, in this truly wonderful free to enter museum.”
Author and broadcaster Muriel Gray joined in the celebrations and spoke of the fondness Glaswegians have for the building.
She said: “Ask any Glaswegian for their memories of Kelvingrove and emotions will flood out, emotions not normally associated with a museum.
"Many remember a first date or, like me, marvelling as a child at the amazing and occasionally bizarre array of animals on display.
"Others easily recall a favourite painting or exhibit, but common to all is a love of the building itself. It is beautiful and that beauty is enduring.
"It is a symbol of our city’s ambition of international status, yet underlines the value we place on social equality.
“Glasgow is a different city now, compared with 10 years ago. Creativity thrives here and the city continues to blaze an internationally acclaimed trail in culture, contemporary art, design and music. I think it’s fair to say we punch well above our weight and our renowned museum offering is pivotal to our appeal.
“I’m pleased to see Kelvingrove has refreshed the stories on display; it gives me a reason to return and an excuse to come back and enjoy my favourite pieces.
"Ten years on this breathtaking building is still very dear to me and I’m delighted to see future generations are also taking it to their heart.”
Factfile:
:: The gallery and museum first opened to the public in 1901 when it was a major part of the Glasgow International Exhibition
:: Its original collections came mainly from the McLellan Galleries and the City Industrial Museum, which had been opened in 1870 at the former Kelvingrove Mansion.
:: Kelvingrove has always been free to enter.
:: The building originally cost more than £250,000 to complete.
:: Money for the refurbishment included almost £13 million from the Kelvingrove Refurbishment Appeal, Scotland’s most successful ever cultural fundraising campaign
:: Since Kelvingrove reopened in July 2006 over 1 million people have enjoyed a number of temporary exhibitions in the newly created space.
:: One of the first, Kylie – The Exhibition, in September 2007, attracted over 165,000 visitors.
:: Dr Who proved incredibly popular with more than 132,000 people taking the opportunity to see the Time Lord while he was in town.
:: The organ, which was built in 1901 by Lewis and Co, of London, holds the record for playing the only free daily organ recital in the world.
:: Musicians have already performed more than 3,000 concerts, which have been enjoyed by over 70,000 people a year.
:: Glasgow is Scotland's cultural, creative and economic powerhouse. It is the fifth most visited UK city by international tourists and domestic visitors made more than 2.1 million trips to Glasgow last year.
:: Kelvingrove received in excess of 1.3 million visitors during 2015.
:: It remains the number one thing to do in Glasgow and is Scotland’s third most popular free visitor attraction; it has also just been awarded a TripAdvisor 2016 Expert’s Choice Award.
