Kibble Palace
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Glasgow
What it’s like
A free glasshouse full of odd plants to spot, plus waymarked trails through the gardens outside for younger explorers.
The glasshouse itself is the reason to come. Wander through the domed palm house and the kids can hunt for whatever's flowering or fruiting that week, while you try not to bump the pushchair into the tree ferns. Outside, there are three waymarked routes to follow: a Minibeasts, Birds and Trees trail pitched at young families, a longer Tree Trail through the Arboretum, and a Heritage Trail with close to 30 points of interest if you've got an older child who likes ticking things off a list.
None of it costs anything, which is rare enough these days to be worth saying twice. The grounds are open from 7am to dusk all year, so an early wander before nap time works, but the glasshouses themselves only open at 10 and shut at 6 in summer, 4 in winter, so don't turn up at 8am expecting to get inside the palm house. Free guided tours of the Botanic Gardens run too, handy if you want someone else to do the explaining.
Dogs aren't allowed in the glasshouses, guide dogs excepted, so leave the family dog in the car or skip the indoor bit if you've brought one along. Parking is the one real faff: there's none in the grounds itself, just on-street parking on Queen Margaret Drive next to the entrance, though there's limited blue badge parking inside if you need it. It's reachable by public transport too, which might be the easier option if street parking's full.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- No parking within grounds. On-street parking in Queen Margaret Drive adjacent to entrance
- Dogs
- Not permitted in glasshouses. Only guide dogs can participate in tours
- The glasshouses open later than the grounds, 10am start, so the outdoor trails are your best bet for an early visit
- Guide dogs are the only dogs allowed inside the glasshouses
- Blue badge parking is available within the gardens if street parking on Queen Margaret Drive is full
- Free guided tours of the Botanic Gardens run without booking
Plan your visit
Is it free to get in?
Yes, the grounds and the glasshouses are both free.
What are the opening hours?
The grounds are open 7am to dusk year round. The Kibble Palace and glasshouses open at 10am and close at 6pm in summer or 4pm in winter.
Is there parking?
Not inside the grounds. There's on-street parking on Queen Margaret Drive next to the entrance, and limited blue badge parking within the gardens.
Can we bring the dog?
Dogs can go in the grounds but not the glasshouses, apart from guide dogs on tours.
Do we need to book?
You can just turn up. The free guided tours don't need booking either.
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