THE DUKE and Duchess of Rothesay were in Glasgow this week to mark the 120th anniversary of Kelvingrove Museum and Art Galleries.

A good time, therefore, we at Times Past HQ believe, to publish some photos of the building through the decades. Incidentally, 124 years ago this very day (September 10, 1897) another royal couple came to the city to lay the foundation stone for that very building.

Glasgow Times:

Our sister title The Herald, disappointed that the sun did not shine for the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and Queen Mary), reported, somewhat poetically: “The city, if not brilliantly lighted, was filled with soft golden tones which enriched the greys of our street architecture…

Glasgow Times:

At the Galleries, the Lord Provost thanked the Duke and Duchess for coming ‘to take part in the initiation of a scheme for the promotion of science and art in this city’ and the Duke spread the mortar for the stone with a gold trowel.

“Sir John Muir having handed to the Duke a gold level, His Royal Highness applied it to the four corners of the stone which he next tapped with an ivory mallet,” reported The Herald.

Glasgow Times:

The Duke got to keep the trowel (made of 18 carat gold), level and mallet, incidentally.

During the visit, their Highnesses also christened Prince’s Dock, laid the last copstone of the new Graving Dock, and had lunch at the City Chambers with a host of dignitaries and citizens.

Glasgow Times: Kelvingrove

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum opened in 1901 for the Glasgow International Exhibition.

It reopened in 2006 after being closed for refurbishment and has since welcomed more than 19 million visitors.