Kelvin Hall

Glasgow Boys: in conversation with Margaret McDonald

Tickets: Free - ticket required

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Dates and times: 3rd Jul 2024
6:00PM - 7:00PM
Age: Adult
Venue: Kelvin Hall

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Deeply personal, tender, and hopeful, Margaret McDonald’s debut novel puts contemporary working-class Glasgow experiences on the page.

In conversation with National Librarian, Amina Shah, Margaret will discuss the collaborative process of writing this book, and the way her life experiences growing up in and around Glasgow helped shape the story she wanted to tell.

Margaret has said: “Truthfully, I may never have another story in me that’s so personal. For that reason I hope you’ll enjoy ‘Glasgow Boys’ and see the beauty of a life such as theirs and mine – a life so full of joy and pride in being working class in Glasgow.”

The book will be available for purchase on the night.

Free, but ticketed. Please book here.

About the book:

Exploring the power of identity, the care system and the Scottish working class, ‘Glasgow Boys’ is an incisive look at young masculinity and the way even the most fraught childhood is not without hope.

About the author:

Margaret McDonald (she/her) is a Scottish author from Glasgow. She is published in the disability-focused magazine 'Breath and Shadow' as well as the prose and poetry magazines 'Bandit Fiction', 'Bubble Lit', 'In Parentheses' and 'The Manifest Station'.

About the chair:

Amina Shah, FRSE, is the National Librarian and Chief Executive of the National Library of Scotland.

Accessibility guides

The AccessAble guide can be found here

The Kelvin Hall Visual Story can be found here.

A floor plan for the venue is available here.

Other accessibility information

Please note that only assistance dogs are permitted within the building.

Kelvin Hall has a dedicated quiet room that can be used for prayer or for those needing a calm space. It is located on the ground floor beside the Sports Hall, please ask staff for directions.

Sensory bags which include ear defenders are available for visitors to use during their time in Kelvin Hall. These can be collected from reception.

Accessible toilets

The accessible toilet is located off the main corridor. There is changing places toilet.

Assistance dogs

Guide and assistance dogs are welcome.

Hearing loop

There is a fixed loop hearing assistance system.

If you use British Sign Language, you can watch our British Sign Language introduction to Kelvin Hall.

Wheelchair access

There is wheelchair and pram access to all public areas using the lifts and there are free wheelchairs available to hire at reception.

Baby changing

There is a dedicated baby changing room near reception, please ask staff for directions. The Play n' Climb has its own toilets with additional baby changing facilities.

Baby feeding

Cafe or restaurant

The Café at Kelvin Hall is a bright open space, located on the left hand side as you enter the building. There is a combination of booth seating and tables. It's a great space to meet friends, catch up before a class or grab a takeaway coffee before a walk through the West end.

The Kelvin Hall café serves breakfast, lunch, kid's meals, cakes, coffee and cold drinks.

Opening Hours:

Monday - Friday: 8am-5pm

Saturday & Sunday: 8.30am-5pm

Parking

Paid parking is available at the Bunhouse Road car park. The car park is managed by City Parking.

There are spaces reserved for blue badge holders close to the entrance of Kelvin Hall on Bunhouse Road as well as on street parking, where standard charges apply.

Bunhouse Road Car park has facilities for electric car charging as part of the ChargePlace Scotland public network.

Photography and video recording

Please follow this link to read guidelines on photography, filming and sketching in all Glasgow Life Museums.

Free wifi

View Kelvin Hall on Google Maps

Location Map

We encourage visitors to use public transport or active travel to access Kelvin Hall where possible.

Use Traveline Scotland to plan your trip

By train

Kelvin Hall is around 20 minutes walk from Partick Station

Subway

The nearest subway station is Kelvinhall.

By bus

First Bus services 2, 3 and 77 all stop outside the museum.

By Bike:

Kelvingrove Park forms part of the Kelvin Walkway, which links with the Glasgow Loch Lomond Clydeway and the West Highland Way. The venue can be easily reached by bicycle and bicycle parking is available to the front of the building.

By Car

Kelvin Hall is situated on Argyle Street, around 6 minutes from the M8.