Glasgow Science Centre
Glasgow Science Centre
4.5
Science MuseumsChildren's Museums
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Rated 5 stars by VisitScotland, providing programs of entertaining Science theatre, Planetarium, and around 300 hands-on interactive science exhibits over three floors, to introduce science to everyone. "BodyWorks" examines the science behind human health and well-being, "Powering the Future" the future challenges and solutions in our energy-hungry world, and the digital planetarium allows visitors to 'leave earth' and travel through the cosmos. Planetarium shows have a £3.50 add-on charge. A shop & cafe are free to access, as are outdoor exhibits set in landscaped surroundings of a Fibonacci Garden and wetland moat. The centre is also home to an IMAX theatre, Newton Flight Academy, and Glasgow Tower. Schools and outreach programs extend the Centre's work into the community. The Centre is a registered charity with surpluses returned to the education mission. Cycle stands, car parking & public transport links or a 15 minute walk along the Clyde from the City centre.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Neighbourhood: South Side
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  • Andy C
    Kingston-upon-Hull, United Kingdom47 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a visit.
    Visited the science museum whilst on a trip to Glasgow. Very good and interesting museum which covers all aspects of science from the solar system to the human body & mind. I would if given this a 5 star but the tower was closed due to high winds. Given that it wasn’t that windy on my visit I suspect the tower is closed more times than it’s open.
    Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! We're pleased to hear you had an enjoyable time at the science centre :) It's unfortunate you could not experience our tower. During our morning checks, we make the decision to close if the wind speed is expected to exceed gusts of 25mph at cabin height. Hopefully, you can make a return visit to experience this on a nicer day!
    Written 13 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 12 October 2023
  • John R
    Sydney, Australia301 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic place to visit.
    Had a fantastic experience at the Glasgow Science Centre. The amount of exhibits and the level of interactiveness was absolutely amazing for our two year old son. The roaming guides were great at pointing out cool stuff and made the experience special as well. If you like to learn something new, play some games and run your kid ragged (before the afternoon nap) then this is definitely the place to do it - especially if it's raining. Set across three floors you are best starting at the top (to avoid the school groups) and work your way down. Level 1 has a huge play area with a crane, wooden trains, aquatic dress-up. Plenty of parking and you get reduced rates at the front desk when you pay for your admission.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 19 October 2023
  • Dave_of_SE3
    London, United Kingdom141 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brilliant Exhibition
    The Science Centre is brilliant and well worth a visit if you have any interest in science. Actually, go even if you think you don’t like science. There are three floors full of exhibits, most of them interactive. Each exhibit also has clearly-written instructions and information explaining the science that the exhibit demonstrates. Staff are helpful and willing to take the time to help and explain what’s going on. Cafe is good when you are science-saturated and need a break. The only mistake we made was that we only allowed 3 hours for the visit - we could have stayed much longer. We came by train and the signage from the station isn’t good.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 24 October 2023
  • KarenB-TRIP
    Birmingham, United Kingdom11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    brilliant interactive experience
    3 floors of interactive fun for all ages. Went with my 15 year old and we both had a fantastic time. Went to the Planetarium show, and having been to a few of these in different venues, I can say that this was by far the best ever. The team running the show were fantastic. highly recommend spending half a day here, and definitely dont miss out on the planetarium if you get the chance
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 1 November 2023
  • Mike the Diver
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom198 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Making Science Exciting !
    Took my 8 year old here today after his mum took him a while ago and he wanted to go again. Fantastic! So much to see and do... talk about making learning fun and exciting. The space show in the Planetarium was superb and the food in the cafe was really good. Lovely location too on the riverside.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 25 November 2023
  • Julie D
    37 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun ! Day !
    We visited the Glasgow science centre with 4 kids and 2 adults we thought the tickets price were actually ok for how much there is to do our youngest ( 6 ) really , really enjoyed it the second youngest ( 8 ) enjoyed it but said it could have been a tiny bit better our 10 year old daughter enjoyed some things not a lot ( she’s very fussy for what we do ) and our 11 year old said she really enjoyed it but a few things could be improved . We asked each of the kids there top 3 things our youngest ( 6 ) said his top 3 were 3.) the tap game 2.) the thing that made the paper fly 1.) the big adventure ( under 7s area ) our eight year olds top three things were 3.) the upside down room 2.) the hamster wheel 3.) the thing that made the paper fly our 10 year olds top 2 things were ( she said she only liked 2 things ) 2.) the tap game 1.) the room that made you fall our oldest (11) top three things were 3.) the upside down room 2.) turn the lights on/off game 1.) the hamster wheel . Honestly my partner and I thought the kids would have enjoyed it a lot more but it was still a good day :)
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 5 January 2024
  • Megan Stewart
    Monifieth, United Kingdom243 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Should have spent more time exploring!
    This is a great family day out, we didn’t have children but we could certainly see the attraction with children and families alike. We only spent a couple of hours here however we should have spent more of the day here to get our moneys worth. Staff were also so welcoming and lovely!
    We're pleased to hear you enjoyed your visit and really appreciate your review! We usually recommend visitors plan for a minimum of 4 hours to get around everything at the science centre, but we hope to welcome you back again soon.
    Written 29 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 February 2024
  • Rob
    United Kingdom27 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent day out for the family
    I visited in Feb 2024 with my 8yo son. We arrived about 10am when it opened and spent all day there, leaving around 1630, never bored. There's plenty of lockers just near reception to leave your coats and bags (£1 coin each, refundable), you can take a picnic, or you can use the cafe or coffee shop (hint: the coffee shop at the imax has shorter queues). The IMAX is worth a visit for an extra couple of quid as an add-on, and all the exhibits on the main floors are fantastic. Great for kids of all ages and a learning experience for us adults too.
    Thanks for your review! :)
    Written 29 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 19 February 2024
  • dsm68
    Glasgow, United Kingdom138 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    5hrs of fun
    Just a fabby day out. Lots and lots to do and see with at least 2 free fun shows to watch. Plenty of enthusiastic staff on hand and 3 floors of activities and opportunities for little minds. Best for school kids and above but lots of buggies on the go. Take a packed lunch and grab a coffee inside. We have the yearly card and that’s worked well for us and parking is god and reflects the area.
    Thanks so much for your kind comments, we'll be sure to pass these on to the team
    Written 29 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 2 April 2024
  • Miss B
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom19 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great attraction, but overwhelmingly busy
    We visited on weds 10th April, travelled and stayed in glasgow to have a whole day at the centre. Family of 4 with kids aged 8 & 14. This was our third visit to the centre and we enjoyed it very much. The exhibitions and interactive activities kept the whole family entertained. We took in a planetarium show too which we all enjoyed. All staff we encountered were friendly and knowledgeable. We were there from 10-5 and could have stayed longer. Unfortunately our visit coincided with a very wet day during school holidays. From around 12 the place felt too busy. Very noisy and chaotic, and difficult to have a turn on the interactive displays. Felt that the centre should have a lower max capacity as it just got too busy throughout. The cafes struggled to cope with demand, with lots of items selling out and the environments looking dirty. Centre quietened down around 4. Overall it was a good visit but could have been much better. I understand that such attractions will be busy during school holidays but this was overwhelming and really put a dampener on the day.
    Hello, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We appreciate your continued support and are glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed the exhibitions, interactive activities, and planetarium show during your visit. As with many other attractions over the holidays, we did experience a high volume of visitors and apologise if this caused any inconvenience. We strive to continuously review and enhance the visitor experience and have passed your comments onto our management team.
    Written 29 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 12 April 2024
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles2,732 reviews
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TheJudgeManchester
manchester50 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Family
I researched the visit online looking at the times for the fossils talk, planetarium (extra £9) , forces talk. Booked online £32.50 entry for 2 adults and a 6 year old. The times on the web site are incorrect! The forces talk clashes with the £9 planetarium. The fossil talk was limited availability and you needed to put your name on a board to get in,the website does not tell you this. We had lunch their too and they serve the most dry of all cheese sandwiches. Truly horrible. Add the £10 taxis to and from the city centre where we stayed and the day cost approx £65 to visit when all we got to see was a planetarium show.
You need to update your web site and put better detail on it you have wasted my time!
Written 21 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The Disabled Traveller
Scotland, UK189 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Couples
Firstly there is a lot of external building work and repairs going on which could probably have been done during full lockdown.

Please do NOT waste your time or the £12 it costs to get in per adult. Not sure what a family ticket costs.

A lot of the exhibits are unusable, many need a good clean and those that require a "hands on" approach do NOT have any sanitising wipes available next to them, I had to ask for a wipe which I kept adding sanitising lotion to clean anything I touched.

If you have a group of kids all under 10 years old it might appeal other than that this was a firm and very disappointing visit. Glasgow has many other museums which are better and FREE which will also entertain children.

If you're an adult visiting and think you'd like to go see this just "gonnae no dae that, just dinny"

Sorry Glasgow HUGE thumbs down from me!

Please don't waste your money or your time visiting unless you have a squad of children with you under the age of 10!

Many of the exhibits are either not working or out of use and those that are in use and require 'hands on' are not given sanitising equipment next to them, many are grubby and I had to ask for a sanitising wipe which I carried around with me.

At £12 per person/adult (not sure what a family ticket costs) it is way over priced, over rated and overwhelmingly not for me.

You'd think that as they'd just opened up due to Covid-19 restrictions and the fact the museum is still on partial lockdown that the ticket prices would have been reduced.

This is a poor example of the great museum choices Glasgow has to offer many others of which are FREE
Written 24 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking time to review Glasgow Science Centre, We have used our closure due to Covid-19 to make a number of internal and external improvements to our visitor facilities and experience. The external work will improve the greenery and biodiversity of our site and sees the installation of wetland moats, more trees and meadow planting. There will also be a social space for people to relax and an event space for science engagement activities. Plus, there are works to help to facilitate active travel into and through Pacific Quay. We are working hard to ensure the outdoor space enhancements will be completed by the end of August 2021. Our staff regularly clean all of the exhibits and interactive surfaces within the Science Mall. There is a dedicated team of cleaners on each floor from 9am until 5pm daily. We are sorry that you think our attraction is overpriced. The income for ticket entry helps us operate as a charity to help community groups and schools engage with our attraction. The income also supports On Tour programme, allowing us to take exhibits to schools and communities to remote communities across Scotland. We are glad you agree its a great place for kids but are sad to hear you did not enjoy It as an adult. We aim to design our experiences to have something for all age groups to enjoy and sorry this wasn't the impression you took away from your visit. Glasgow Science Centre
Written 28 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

L18SUM
Stirling, UK2,055 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
Hours of fun with the family. Really great place to explore, learn and have fun.

Our tip would be to start on the top floor and work your way down as sometimes the initial exhibits when you enter are the busiest at the start of the day whilst the top floor is quiet and you can have your pick of the exhibits.

Also, if you have brought a packed lunch, expect the dining area to be busy during lunch hour so we skip morning snack for the kids and have an early lunch - it works here as the excitement of the exhibits seem to stave off their hunger pangs! It also means when everyone is downstairs having lunch, the exhibits are quieter.

The gift shop is reasonable and you'll find different items across a wide price range.

Great place to visit. Enjoy!
Written 11 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lisc33
Glasgow, UK380 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
We have an annual passport for the science centre which is amazing value for money. £30 per adult for the year versus £11.50 every visit. Kids under 3 go free and again a passport for the year is £24
We went here today as it was a rainy gloomy day in Glasgow and my son just loves it. Loads to do for all ages and the best thing is they get to learn as they go. Added bonus for the adults is there is a Starbucks and a cinema!
Written 26 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dave S
26 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Family
Great selection of exhibits, but absolutely flooded with school groups, meaning that the planetarium was also completely off bounds. Spent most of the time trying to find quieter corners where you could actually learn instead of getting Bundled off exhibits by squads of kids screaming and yanking everything they could see.
Suggestions for you: Close to the public for school trip days, limit school groups on days open to the public, and PLEASE run one or two planetarium sessions exclusively for the non school attendees - we certainly are paying more than the schools and getting much less of an experience.
Plus side - the staff are terrific, and have the patience of saints :)
Written 21 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lpaganuk
Glasgow, UK147 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
This was booked for my partner as he loves the music and also wanted to experience the planetarium. We were advised to arrive 15 mins prior to show starting , there was a bit of a delay but once inside the show started soon after. The presenter was very professional, & knowledgeable about the solar system ( this was an add on before main show). The main show was a visual feast for the eyes , felt like a rollercoaster simulator at times🤪with great acoustics. Show last about an hour all in, great experience would be good for other musical genres too.
Written 2 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SG20102014
Peebles, UK142 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Family
Being off season was only open 10-3, we arrived at 11. Went straight to IMAX for under the sea. Film was brilliant. There was a school group in unfortunately which kinda spoiled the illusion as they were SO loud, however their just kids and enjoying themselves so I'll not hold it against them.
Some of the experiments could be looked at as glass appeared smudged or scratched on most meaning you don't get the full effect of a lot of them. It's obvious some areas are newer or better looked after than others.
The body works area at the top was probably our favourite before heading to the planetarium for the 2pm show.
We hadn't seen half of the place I don't think.
Starbucks on the ground floor, not the fastest of service but that's not unusual these days unfortunately.
There's also a cafe but we didn't use that.
Cash machine is in the BBC building accross the road.
When leaving one of the girls noticed I had a sunflower lanyard and as we'd already asked her about tickets to the cinema she informed us that we'd get a carers discount which was spot on service in my opinion, observant and helpful...well done.
You also get a discount to the cinema with your science centre tickets so worth going to.
We only noticed that there was a clock room on the way out. I feel this should have been pointed out on arrival. Unsure if the girl at the desk was new but she didn't appear very switched on or indeed happy to be there. It's small things like a smile that make the difference.

The rest of the staff we came accross were all very helpful though and happy though and the presenter in the planetarium funny and informative.

Would love to go again and see all the bits we missed as well as the different shows in IMAX and planetarium.
Written 7 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

rabbit2812
Callander, UK77 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Family
We visited as a family of 4 for the first time since covid. I was a little worried with so many touch points that it would feel unsafe however I was so wrong. Its lovely to see the changes being made to the outside area and we look forward to seeing this finished. The inside was well laid out with distancing in mind. Staff were friendly and helpful as always and could be seen cleaning equipment etc regularly. They were still very interactive with children and explaining things to them. The show in the Planetarium was great and reduced numbers in there made it feel very safe. The restaurant we only visited for a light snack but there was an adequate selection of items. All in all a great trip as always and thank you to all of the staff who make the experience so great.
Written 20 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

rebeccaScotland_11
Scotland5 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
Myself and my boyfriend visited here on 1st March 2020.

We booked tickets online which seemed to be cheaper when looking at the prices for paying at the door. Large cloakroom to hang up any jackets which was handy.

Spent over an hour on the first floor with lots to do. Second floor was poor. Half of it was getting refurbished and we did not spend much time here. Our favourite was the third floor (body works) where we spent a long time before the planetarium.

We attended the aliens plantation show at 2:40 which was outstanding and definitely worth it for the add on!

Most people, including ourselves, brought lunch in and we ate it on the ground floor at the picnic benches. Also went for a Starbucks which was inside the imax.

Overall, a fun filled day and will definitely be returning once the refurb is done!
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

youngfun23
London, UK14 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Solo
So my friend recommended this place but unfortunately when I went today it was just packed with crazy children running around like wild animals. I very much felt that this was a place for young children, and anything that looked fun to interact with was just occupied by kids and families. The other activities that were free to use were not impressive. The only thing I gained from it was reassurance that I should not smoke and the effect of it, but to be honest, I could have just googled that. Maybe it is just me, but I really felt like this was just very childlike and there should should be a limit on how many children are allowed in.
Written 18 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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GLASGOW SCIENCE CENTRE (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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