Tall Ship Glenlee

Over het museum

Glenlee is a three-masted steel barque launched at the Bay Yard in Port Glasgow on 3 December 1896. She is the only steel square-rigged cargo vessel left in the UK and one of just five Clyde-built vessels of her kind still surviving in the world. Her first 23 years were spent under the British flag; she sailed round Cape Horn to the north-west coast of America on her first voyage and was later sold and renamed Islamount. In 1919 she was sold to Italian owners, who named her Clarastella and fitted her with engines.

In 1922 the ship was bought by the Spanish Navy and used as a sail training vessel called Galatea for more than 47 years. She was laid up in 1959 and was close to being scrapped when the Clyde Maritime Trust recognised her as a Clyde-built ship in 1992. She was brought back to the Clyde, re-registered in Glasgow under her original name and restored.

Today Glenlee floats at a berth beside the Riverside Museum and is owned by the Tall Ship Glenlee Trust, a charity. Visitors can walk the decks and explore the saloon, galley, cargo hold, engine room and Captain's Cabin, and an on-board cafe serves hot drinks and light food. The ship had free entry for many years; admission charges were reintroduced on 1 July 2024 to help cover running costs.

Hoogtepunten

• Captain's Cabin with a dress-up station for costumes
• Engine room from the Spanish era that shakes the floor when it runs
• Cargo hold with an interactive pulley system
• Rat Hunt trail to find 20 hidden stowaways
• Free digital guide through the Bloomberg Connects app

Vaste collectie

• Life on board Glenlee – Decks, saloon, galley, cargo hold, engine room and Captain's Cabin that show life at sea under sail.

Beheerder

The Tall Ship Glenlee Trust

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Standard admission prices are £4.50 adult (age 18 and over), £3.60 concession, £2.70 child and £12.70 family, as announced when charging began in July 2024 and still the base prices in the online booking system; online tickets add a booking fee of about 6% (adult £4.77 on 11 October 2026). Gift Aid donation not included. An annual membership allows unlimited visits over twelve months.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The ship was built in 1896 and was not designed for access, and some areas cannot be changed without damaging the historic fabric. A lift is available on board, and visitors who need it are advised to call ahead. Wheelchair users using the lift to go below deck must agree to move to an evacuation chair in an emergency. The tide of the River Clyde can make the entrance and exit gangways steeper at extreme high and low tides. Ship staircases are very steep, the decks can be slippery and the vessel can move in wind or waves. Accessible toilets and baby changing are on board; the nearest Changing Places toilet is next door in the Riverside Museum. Large-print interpretation is available through the Bloomberg Connects app, and four sensory backpacks (ear defenders, emotion cards, a soft toy and fidget toys) can be borrowed against a deposit. A visual story PDF helps children prepare. A comprehensive access guide is on the AccessAble website.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Verschoonruimte

The ship describes itself as fun for all the family. Children can try on costumes in the apprentice dress-up station, press smell buttons, load cargo with a pulley system, steer the ship's wheel and join the Rat Hunt. Sensory backpacks and a visual story help younger visitors, and baby changing is available on board.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

When using sat-nav, enter 'The Tall Ship Glenlee' rather than the postcode, because the postcode may take you to the opposite side of the river.

Service & horeca

• Café
• Museumwinkel

A cosy on-board cafe on the Tween deck serves hot drinks, sweet treats and light bites. Books and gifts are sold in the ship's shop.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Privéfeesten
• Zakelijke evenementen
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

Tot 200 personen.

The ship has large flexible spaces and quieter rooms across four levels and can hold up to 150 guests seated or 200 standing; weddings, parties, corporate dinners, concerts and filming are offered.

Je bezoek plannen