Donation FAQs

Glasgow Museums are free for everyone but we rely on the generous support of the many friends, donors and volunteers who enable us to care for our collections, offer visitors an inspirational experience and provide exceptional education services for thousands of people each year. Please help us to care for Glasgow’s important civic collections and ensure everyone has access to this important and rich heritage.  

Glasgow Life is the Scottish registered charity (Charity No: SC037844) that manages all our fundraising campaigns, like all Glasgow Museums, Aye Write, Celtic Connections and Glasgow Libraries.

Every donation - no matter how large or small - makes an impact.

• £10 – helps reduce social isolation by supporting our work to bring together elderly people who live alone to enjoy a visit to the museum
• £25 – supports an hour of specialist conservation on the many thousands of historically important objects in the collections, preserving them for future generations to learn from
• £50 - buys art materials for our free annual holiday family workshops - helping young children develop their creativity and connect with the collections
• £75 – helps us to enhance interpretation and accessibility for visitors with additional needs including BSL videos and Autism Friendly workshops
• £100 – supports a storytelling session for families to enjoy together, promoting close inter-generational relations
• £250 – provides a primary school resource pack for pupils in P1 – P7
• £500 – provides those who cannot visit a museum to experience our Open Museums session by allowing us to host ‘the Museum without walls’ in a library, community centre or care home
• £1,000 - ensures our popular weekend family events remain free so that everyone in Glasgow can join in.

You can make a donation online here 

If you want to find out more about how to become a regular supporter of Glasgow Museums please click here

Adding Gift Aid increases your donation increases by 25%, at no extra cost to you.  If you'd like to add Gift Aid to your donation, complete the Gift Aid section on our forms, and we'll do the rest.

Gift Aid allows UK charities to claim back the basic rate tax already paid on donations by the donor.  By reclaiming tax from Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), Gift Aid is a great way for you to help Glasgow Life maximise the value of its donations.  That means Glasgow Life can claim an extra 25p for every £1 you donate.  There is no extra cost to you. 

Find out more about Gift Aid »  

What is Gift Aid?
Gift Aid is a government scheme that allows charities to reclaim the tax a donor has paid on donations through income tax or capital gains tax. For every £1 donated, Glasgow Life can reclaim 25p from the government at no additional cost to the donor.  

What is a ticket with Gift Aid?
A ticket with Gift Aid includes a 10% voluntary donation. By making this donation and a Gift Aid declaration, Glasgow Life can claim an additional 25% of income from the government at no further cost to you.

For example

There is no obligation to purchase a ticket with Gift Aid, and standard tickets are available in venue and online.

What information is needed?
To claim Gift Aid on your donations, we need your name, address and a Gift Aid declaration stating you give Glasgow Life permission to reclaim tax from HMRC.

Why do I need to make a declaration?
A Gift Aid declaration give Glasgow Life permission to reclaim tax from HMRC. By making a Gift Aid declaration, you are confirming that you understand this, and giving permission for us to “Gift Aid” your donation.

How do I know if I am a UK taxpayer?
You ARE a UK income taxpayer if:

• Tax is taken from your wages or pension before you receive them (you can see this on your payslip)
• You complete a self-assessment form
• You have any taxable savings, pension plans, or investment income
• You have recently paid any capital gains tax, or expect to pay it in the near future. Eg. the sale of a property

Do I have to make a declaration with every gift? Does the Gift Aid scheme include previously given donations?
Your Gift Aid declaration will apply to all eligible donations you have made in the last 4 years, and any future donations. You only need to make one declaration with Glasgow Life.

I want to withdraw my Gift Aid declaration/ I no longer pay enough tax
Please call our Development Team on 0141 276 9515 or email us at supportus@glasgowlife.org.uk and we will record this change.

I am a pensioner, can I still Gift Aid my donation?
You could still be paying tax on a savings account or private pension. If you have paid enough tax in the year to cover your donations, you are eligible for Gift Aid. If you are unsure, please contact HMRC.

What if I have agreed to Gift Aid to another charity?
You can support as many UK charities as you like through Gift Aid. All you need to do is return a declaration to each charity that you support and ensure that you are paying enough tax during the year to cover your total annual donations.

ou can support Glasgow Life by donating online to Your favourite Glasgow Museum

Please be assured that donating online is secure using our encrypted payment facility.

For all other donations, please make your cheque payable to GLASGOW LIFE with a covering letter with your name and address.

Send your cheque donation and letter with donation details to: The Development Team, Glasgow Life, 38 Albion Street, Glasgow, G1 1LH.

All donations are greatly appreciated and they help us improve the lives of people in Glasgow. If you would like to make regular donations to any of our campaigns or appeals, please contact the Fundraising Team at supportus@glasgowlife.org.uk or call 0141 276 9515 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm).

If you would like to make a donation on behalf of a friend or relative, please contact our Fundraising Team on 0141 276 9515 or email supportus@glasgowlife.org.uk with all the details about the donation.

Alternatively, you might consider purchasing a Museum Membership or Patron's Circle membership instead.  These are an excellent way of supporting Glasgow Museums.

Please let us know as soon as you change address by calling the Fundraising Team on 0141 276 9515 or emailing supportus@glasgowlife.org.uk

When you give a donation to Glasgow Life, we think it’s really important to let you know how you have helped and keep you updated on our work. Therefore, you might receive a mailing or email from us with information about our work.

If you want to change the way that we contact you, please contact the Fundraising Team by calling 0141 276 9515 or email supportus@glasgowlife.org.uk

Unfortunately, we can't take online CAF donations but you can send a CAF cheque/voucher with your name and address on it to the Fundraising Team at Glasgow Life, 38 Albion Street, Glasgow, G1 1LH.  Please make your CAF cheque/voucher payable to Glasgow Life