The Tall Ship Glenlee at Riverside Museum Glasgow

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When we visited Scotland in half term we spent a day at The Riverside Museum, and decided to visit The Tall Ship Glenlee as part of that trip. We last visited the museum and Tall Ship nearly ten years ago and so it was lovely to go back, see what we remembered and spend a little more time there too.

Where is The Tall Ship Glenlee?

Tall Ship Glenlee is docked in Pointhouse Quay in the Partick area of Glasgow, just behind the Riverside Museum on the River Clyde. This has been her home since she opened to the public in 2011.

There is plenty of parking at The Riverside Museum and the site is accessible by public transport – or by foot if you’re lucky enough to live in the area. It took us about 40 minutes to get there from where we were staying.

What is The Tall Ship Glenlee?

Managed by the Tall Ship Glenlee Trust, Glenlee is an historic, steel-hulled three-masted barque which was originally built as a cargo ship at Port Glasgow under that name in 1896 for Glasgow owners. However, with later owners she was named Islamount and Clarastella and from 1922 she was the sail training ship Galatea in the Spanish Navy and spent years as a training vessel.

Now, the Trust care for Glenlee, undertaking conservation work and sharing the history of this unique Clyde-built 19th century sailing vessel for the benefit, enjoyment and learning of all. It’s well worth a visit if you’re going to The Riverside Museum or spending time in or around Glasgow.

Visiting The Tall Ship Glenlee

We all loved exploring Glenlee. From the minute we stepped aboard it felt like going back in time – complete with beautiful wooden decks, lifeboats, ships wheels and more. You can explore at your own pace – there’s no time limit – and there’s a free digital tour if you want to make use of it too.

We got to explore the top deck, plus two further decks, and it was great to see not just the workings of the ship but how people lived and what the ship was used for over its working life.

There were so many interactive aspects to Glenlee – from the smell me buttons to press to the dressing up opportunities, it’s a fantastic place to visit with kids – especially younger ones – who will love immersing themselves in ship life.

Refreshments at The Tall Ship Glenlee

Before we left Glenlee we stopped off in the cafe for hot drinks but they do also have a small but tasty menu of sandwiches, toasties and soup to refuel during your visit. We didn’t realise Glenlee had a cafe so this was a lovely discovery below deck!

We loved our time on Glenlee and would definitely visit again in the future. It cost less then £5 per adult – and even less for children – and you can have as long or short a visit as you like. We spent about two hours on board and it was a really lovely experience.

You can find out more about The Tall Ship Glenlee over on their website and for reference the address is: 150 Pointhouse Rd, Stobcross Rd, Glasgow G3 8RS