The Tall Ship Glenlee

What it’s like

A real Victorian cargo ship on the Clyde that kids explore deck by deck, with a free app guide and sensory backpacks on hand.

This one's a proper ship, not a model of one. It's moored on the Clyde by the Riverside Museum and you're free to wander it yourself, no guided tour required, following a free digital guide through the Bloomberg Connects app if you want the extra detail. Kids get to poke round the decks and holds of a genuine 19th century cargo vessel, which beats a screen explaining what one looked like.

There's no age range given, but a self-guided ship with narrow bits and a gangway probably suits kids who can manage stairs and steps on their own rather than ones still in a buggy. If sensory overload is a worry, they lend out backpacks with ear defenders, emotion cards and fidget toys, which is a nice touch you don't see everywhere.

Don't expect a long visit. The average is 40 minutes, so this works best bolted onto a Riverside Museum trip rather than as the whole day out. Entry's £5.50 for an adult and £3.70 for a child, and last admission is half an hour before closing, so check the day's hours before you set off since Tuesday opens later at 11am. The café on board does toasties, soup and kids' meals, but you can't bring your own lunch on, and hot food stops an hour before closing.

Parking is shared with the Riverside Museum, around 100 spaces, and it does fill up on weekends, so getting there early or using the subway or train instead saves the faff. Some parts of the ship can't be made fully accessible because of the historic structure, and the gangway gets steeper at extreme tides, worth bearing in mind if wheels or a wobbly walker are involved.

Facilities

Need to know

Last entry

Last admission 30 minutes before closing time

Booking

Advance booking recommended. Walk-ins welcome subject to availability

Parking

Pay car park shared with Riverside Museum, approximately 100 spaces available

How long to allow

Average length of visit is 40 minutes

Food

Café on board with hot and cold drinks, toasties, sandwiches, soup, cakes, scones, and kids' meals

Picnics

External food not allowed. Café available on board

Wheelchairs

Lift access available. Emergency evacuation procedures require wheelchair users to transfer to evacuation chair

Dogs

Assistance dogs only during public opening hours

Getting there by bus or train

Half a mile from Govan Underground Station or just under a mile from Partick Train Station

• The gangway gets steeper at extreme high and low tides, so mind your footing.
• Sensory backpacks with ear defenders and fidget toys are available if that helps your visit.
• Hot food in the café stops an hour before closing, so don't leave lunch too late.
• The ship is closed on Saturday 26 September 2026 for a private event.

Plan your visit

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