Riverside Museum

[Mac]

After visiting the Tall Ships at Greenock I decided to see what the new Glasgow Museum of

Transport was like.

 

 

The 'Riverside' was packed out because of the place still being new and school holidays...

(Free entry) so I didn't get the chance to properly look at everything.

 

Not impressed with the building or the way everything has been mixed together.

 

The interactive display panels sound like a good idea but present a bottleneck of people when the

place is busy. Some of the panels appeared damaged(after three weeks in use).

 

The 'Street' is like something out of toy-town; though the interiors look authentic enough. If you want

good exterior street views go to Beamish.

 

Railway steam transport comprises of four locomotives poorly displayed.

 

The best part of the museum was the moving wall of ship models; but the place was to busy to get any

good photo's...

The sailing ship Glenlee is moored outside the museum and is worth the £5 entrance charge.

 

The media made a big thing about the "iconic building" being a masterpiece of design, but to be honest

I'd have preferred a larger building with more items properly displayed.

 

I'll probably return again to see what it's like when the place is quiet.

 

Mac.

[emac]

I have booked my car into main dealers in Glasgow on 27th July and was intending to visit the Riverside Museum while the service is been done.

There has been mixed reactions from friends both the old transport museums allowed you to get close to the exibits I do not like the idea of cars displayed up a wall but I like the building from afar it mirrors the ship yard sheds just glad we still have museums to visit in Glasgow and they are free at the moment.

Eddie

[Guest Natalie Graham]

I haven't been but watching the TV programme about it recently I got the impression the exhibits were regarded more as design features of the building rather than the building being a place to diisplay the exhibits. But then aren't all museums nowadays more about the 'interactive expeierence', the cafe and the gift shop and being a 'family day out'?

[scotcent]

I spent a day there shortly after it opened. And I'm grievously disappointed.

 

What is the point of displaying half the cars stuck up a wall where you can't get close to them?

The collection of ship models is possibly the best in the world. They used to be displayed in glass cases with information labels, and you could examine them up close and at leisure. Now you can only see one at a time, for a very limited spell, only on one side, and with no accessible information. I almost wept when I saw it. A huge amount of space is taken up by a South African Railways locomotive, which admittedly was built in Glasgow, but has not much to tell us about Scottish transport history.

The collection of bicycles is stuck to the ceiling. What is the point of that?

There are many items that were on display at Kelvin hall but are not now to be seen.

The external shape of the building looks very spectacular from across the river, or on an architect's CV. But it does nothing to make it a good museum. It is too small in floor area, and the shape is too awkward. Much better would have been a big shed, and vastly cheaper. It appears to me to have been an ego trip for the council, and to be pandering to populist fashion in making museums flashy places to keep small childrens' fleeting interest, rather than places to store and display a large and valuable collection of artefacts.

 

I knew the Tramway Museum and the Kelvin Hall Museum well and this one doesn't match up to them. I didn't like it!

 

Allan F

[Jamie]

 

What is the point of displaying half the cars stuck up a wall where you can't get close to them?

 

The collection of bicycles is stuck to the ceiling. What is the point of that?

 

Can't help but think they're seen as mere ornaments to decorate the building? Sort of thing Kevin McCloud on "Grand Designs" would swoon about.

(the building itself is a damn ugly structure IMO, not quite as bad as the BBC box opposite, but getting there)

[Bon Accord]

The new museum, in common with many museums today does not seek to educate or inform the public - it's purely a family day out in a building packed with impressive 'stuff' and fancy interactive displays, i.e. the idea being to simply baffle the public with bullwotsit and therefore get them to open their wallets, with the added bonus that the Council has somewhere to store all the aged junk which they're not allowed to throw away.

I had such great hopes for the new museum, but am very disappointed.

[davefrk]

Aye, a museum designed like an art gallery with all the historic objects as artworks and instalations.....

Hence all the cars on the wall....

An opportunity wasted.

 

Dave.

[Mac]

Some interesting comments.

 

Re' the 'Wall of Cars' display. From a modellers point of view the touch screen display panels(I think there's about four of them)

allow you to rotate and zoom in on views of a particular vehicle. Though how a photo of the screen will end up looking is anyone's

guess.

 

The moving display of ship models have interactive(TV) screens which provide details of each vessel. One useful touch was an

elevation view starting with the standing man and then comparing the outline of the ship alongside him: useful if you can record this

information as an image/video clip.

 

I noticed that roughly half the books in the 'gift-shop' were about design or architecture. This reinforces the comment about the place

being designed like an art gallery.

 

If the Riverside is aimed at visiting families then it's probably succeeded as there's enough 'gimmicks' to keep everyone happy for a couple

of hours. Fortunately; there are still some decent museums left in the UK. though the Riverside shows what the future holds.

 

Mac.

 

 

[Mark 37]

The comments about this museum sadden me.

 

I only talked to the wife this morning about going to see what it looks like. I must admit I am only interested in going to see the model ship collection as I've been an RC boat builder near 20 years off and on. I could not wait for it to open as the old museum had been packing the ships waway near on 7 years maybe longer. As for only seeing one ship from one side at a time, what good is that? I can asure you there are very few ships that have a mirror image. I guess I'll have to find an alternative research facility.

 

Best regards,

 

Mark

[Bon Accord]

Mark,

When you compare the new (much bigger) museum to what was to be had in the old "Clyde Room", then it's but a shadow of its former self.

Alas model ships don't tend to include bright flashing lights and moving images, ergo modern day punters aren't interested, or at least that's what the Council/Museum seem to think.

As already intimated, the museum has merely been reduced to an all singing all dancing day out for the lowest common denominator.

[AMJ]

I visited it in the beginning of July and think that its quite a nice modern museum.

 

I like the car wall as it allows them to display more than they could in the same space.

 

I wanted to get a shot of the Imp & SAR loco together but they have a big sign above the Imp.

 

If only some other towns would big up the locally built items.

 

Just as an aside the industrial loco is at Sunnyside (last photo).

[Mac]

The comments about this museum sadden me.

 

I only talked to the wife this morning about going to see what it looks like. I must admit I am only interested in going to see the model ship collection as I've been an RC boat builder near 20 years off and on.

As for only seeing one ship from one side at a time, what good is that? I can assure you there are very few ships that have a mirror image. I guess I'll have to find an alternative research facility.

 

Best regards,

 

Mark

 

Mark.

 

Re' the ship models...

 

There's two main displays.

One is a large static unit with the(30-40) models badly displayed. You get the vessel details from one touch screen panel at one end of the cabinet.

 

The upper floor has a very long glass fronted display(the length of the room) with two moving 'conveyor belts' shuttling approx' 30 models

around in two carousels. Information comes up on a large display as each ship passes in front of the screen. Unfortunately; when I

was there, the place was mobbed with kids and you couldn't take the time to properly read all of the details.

 

If you're interested in shipping; go and see the displays and decide for yourself.

 

One good thing was that I managed to get a book in the gift shop about the Clyde built blockade runners commissioned by the rebellious

Southern States during the Civil War.

 

If you do decide to go Mark; I'd be interested in your opinion.

 

Mac.

 

[scotcent]

Mark.

 

The upper floor has a very long glass fronted display(the length of the room) with two moving 'conveyor belts' shuttling approx' 30 models

around in two continuous loops. Information comes up on a large display as each ship passes in front of the screen. Unfortunately; when I

was there, the place was mobbed with kids and you couldn't take the time to properly read all of the details.

 

Mac.

 

 

Sadly, when I was there, only the upper carousel was working, and the displays weren't working atall. Even if they were, it's still a dreadful way to "display" such a valuable collection. I wonder if a serious researcher, as many are on this forum, would be able to have better access?

 

Allan F

[Mac]

Sadly, when I was there, only the upper carousel was working, and the displays weren't working atall. Even if they were, it's still a dreadful way to "display" such a valuable collection. I wonder if a serious researcher, as many are on this forum, would be able to have better access?

 

Allan F

 

 

If you're talking about better physical access(to take photo's/measurements) I seriously doubt it.

 

However: I'd like to think their website would allow researchers to make an appointment to view any material

they may hold in their archives(?). I'm particularly thinking about the model ships as they really are poorly displayed.

 

The upper floor 'carousels' are badly lit; which makes trying to take photo's a real pain.

 

 

 

 

Mac.

[Mark 37]

Mac,

 

If I go up I'll post my opinions here, but I'm in no rush to go now.

 

All the best,

 

Mark

[emac]

Had a few hours to spare today while waiting for my car to be serviced so went and visited the new Riverside Museum.

I arrived just as it was opening quite a few people waiting to get in but I must say I was pleasantly surprised a lot lighter than the Kelvin hall Transport Museum and seems a lot bigger the wall of cars is impressive not as much hands on but you can choose what model you want to look at on an interactive screen to get close ups of exterior and interior as well of basic information of the car.

Of the four large locos you can view the footplates I take Macs point about the main ships display not so good if you want to model one; but I would only be looking for basic info and I am sure there are other resources out there to get plans and info for a model.

Overall I had a good visit I was able to have a good look round considering it was packed with ma paw and the weans tourists and a lot of people remembering the past I had a good laugh listening to a group of ladies as they reminisced about the subway in the late forties they were in their element as was many of the young people.

I am disappointed that there is a lot of stuff not on display and it would have been great if the building was three times the size but would it be FREE.

Today there was a man made beach and pond outside Did this many people visit the Transport Museum at Kelvin hall if they did would they have fitted in it. On the way to George Square I was talking to a group of Americans and the thought it was a marvellous exhibit and well worth the visit the guys were making arrangements tomorrow to leave their wife’s shopping and revisit.

If I want to look at trains Boness is for me, many have been dissapointed in the new Riverside Museum but each to their own hopefully they will change the exibits from time to time and they may take on board the coments left from the public for improvement

I will go back to Riverside by myself and with my granddaughter soon

 

Mark your wee boy would love it visit it and make your own mind up won't cost you a penny to find out a bus from George Square takes you right to the door too

[Mark 37]

Eddie,

 

I'm thinking about it but we won't see much especially having that sand outside. He'll be there all day trying to dig to Australia. lol

 

I've a few things to be getting on with at the moment (baseboards), but I'll need to get down for a visit. What are you up too Monday or Tuesday, next week?

 

Mark

[Lochty no more]

Riverside museum it rymes with fish!

[Mac]

Emac.

 

Nice set of photo's.

Especially the (Clyde?) Puffer and the straight-on shot of the three Loco's.

 

Mac.

[John B]

Is GNSR No. 49 not on display? I've not seen it in any of the pictures thus far...

[Guest stuartp]

Is GNSR No. 49 not on display? I've not seen it in any of the pictures thus far...

 

According to Wikipedia

 

It has been moved to the Scottish Railway Museum at Bo'ness rather than the new waterfront Glasgow Transport Museum.

[John B]

Thanks, Stuart. That makes me rather happier than thinking of it either stuffed & mounted in Riverside, or mouldering in a reserve shed somewhere. I'm sure the SRPS will take good care of it. I'd love to see the "Sojer" running again sometime..

[Western Scottish]

I think also the Coronation Tram is missing. Strange as the Coronation was the symbol of Glasgow Corporation in the thirties. There is a Cunarder on display. But given the work that went into securing and preserving these trams its a shame the new building can't take them all. Nice building though.

[Russ (mines a pint)]

We visited back at the start of the school holidays I think within the first week of opening so again it was very busy. Having only lived in Scotland for about 18months I had not visited its predecessor. My comparisons are therefore things in Yorkshire like the NRM and Industrial museums, also the transport section of the science museum in Manchester.

 

For a family visit you could see the format was far more engaging for families and children, I thought the wall's of cars/bikes etc were amusing in that they were displaying real ones in a way that many would display models! you could see that it would be difficult for anyone interested in a specific thing that it would be difficult to view close up.

 

I agree that the ship models could have been displayed better and thought there was less ship content than really should be given it was on the Clyde? - and positioning the GSWR loco upstairs was a little bit strange on aesthetics and I would have thought structural planning for support of such a weight etc etc.

 

plus points its free entry (except tall ship) and reasonable for parking charge (unlike NRM! ) looks to be well served by buses too, and on cycle route. The site in itself is quite interesting with lots of passing boats/planes/seaplanes and interesting skyline view of centre of Glasgow/SECC etc.

 

bad points are obviously if you went to view a specific car/bike etc it might not be easy to view close up or particularly take measurements, you could also say this applies to some exhibits in the NRM?

 

As to rail mounted vehicles it wasnt too bad I thought you could certainly get onto the footplate of one of the steamers (the highland one IIRC) and one of the trams,

 

I'll put up pics of visit for what it's worth (crappy phone pics I'm afraid - the good ones are the ones in focus! ). I suppose from a real enthusiasts for whatever part of it your interested in a running day, car rally, preserved railway or tram place like Crich is going to be better, but I think it will pull the general public and tourists in.

 

[Guest Max Stafford]

Nice photos of the surroundings too. The riverside looks so different from it did in my youth. The only recognisable features are the 'big cran' at Finnieston and the tower at the former Queens Dock entrance!

 

Dave.