The history of the Glasgow School of Art is inextricably linked to Charles Rennie Mackintosh. A graduate of the School, Mackintosh's 1896 design for a new School of Art building heralded the birth of a new style in 20th century European architecture and remains at the centre of the campus.
But Mackintosh was more than just an architect. He was also an outstanding international artist and designer. Using the links on the left, find out more about our most famous gradaute, his masterwork building - the Mackintosh building and the School's extensive Mackintosh and other collections including the GSA Archive, documenting the history of the GSA and art, design and architecture education since 1845.
The GSA welcomes visitors to the Mackintosh Building and to share, in the words of Professor Sir Christopher Frayling, Rector, Royal College of Art: "The only art school in the world where the building is worthy of the subject". However, as it is still a working art school, the Mackintosh Building can only be visited by guided tour, given by GSA students.
We look forward to welcoming you to The Glasgow School of Art.
- The Glasgow School of Art was founded in 1845, making it one of the oldest creative institutions in the UK
- The School was first based on Ingram Street before moving to the McLellan Galleries
- The Mackintosh Building was designed in 1896 as submission to architectural competition to design a new building for The Glasgow School of Art
- The School moved from the McLellan Galleries to the new Mackintosh Building in 1899 - completition of the eastern half of the building
- The School's archives are an outstanding resource charting the development of creative education since 1845
- The GSA collection includes not only Mackintosh furniture, drawings and paintings, but a large collection of non-Mackintosh works
- The GSA is home to the archive of Gillespie, Kidd and Coia - arguable Scotland's most influential post-war architectural practice
- The GSA is one of the only art schools in the UK to still own and use its collection of plaster casts
- The Mackintosh Building is still used as a working art school, home to the School of Painting and Printmaking, and the Departments of Interior Design and Historical and Critical Studies, ensuring that every GSA student experiences studying in this iconic building
- By 2010, a £8.6m conservation and access project will be completed, making the building and its collections more accessible to the public while still being a working art school