Thank you for your enquiry regarding private group GSA City Walking Tours.

If the information you require is not contained below, please do not hesitate to contact us at tours@gsa.ac.uk or +44(0)141 566 1472 and we will be happy to help.

We look forward to welcoming your group to The Glasgow School of Art!

What happens during the GSA City Walking Tours?

Does the tour route allow disabled access?

Are the City Walking Tours suitable for children?

What happens if it is raining on the day of the tour?

Is there anything we can do to make our tour extra special?

Is there time for a comfort stop on the City Walking Tour?

What happens if I want to change or cancel my private group tour booking?

When and where should I arrive for my tour?

What can I do if I arrive early for my tour?

What happens if the group is late?

Can I take photographs during the City Walking Tour?

Where do the profits from my tour booking go?

How do I get to The Glasgow School of Art?

 

What happens during the GSA City Walking Tours?

The Glasgow School of Art City Walking Tours invite groups to investigate art, architecture and design, from Mackintosh's Glasgow and the legacy of his contemporaries on the 'Glasgow Style' tour, to the 'Glasgow Miracle' tour, revealing the contemporary arts scene and remarkable creative regeneration of the post-industrial city.

Conducted by an award-winning team of guides, all of whom are all current GSA students or recent graduates, the tours last 2 and a quarter hours, and offer the opportunity to explore two facets of Glasgow's cultural heritage as participants are led to explore the streets of the city centre and merchant city on foot.

On the 'Glasgow Style' tour, discover the city's industrial past and investigate the architectural achievements of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his contemporaries, taking in the best of city centre 'Glasgow Style' design. Hidden decorative details are unearthed as the tour reveals Glasgow's unique contribution the international Art Nouveau movement.  Architectural gems are uncovered as the tour studies the development of Glasgow's unique cityscape, from the great Victorian architects who preceded Mackintosh to the draughtsmen who also worked in and developed the 'Glasgow Style'. Through sites of social interest, little known examples of Mackintosh's work and his most accomplished,  innovative buildings, we discover the story of Glasgow's master designer. This tour starts and finishes at The Glasgow School of Art.

On the 'Glasgow Miracle' tour, explore contemporary art, architecture and design to reveal the city's remarkable creative regeneration.Journey through the city, from the 1970's to present day, to explore the impact of new work by artists, designers and architects as they respond to the post-industrial landscape, shaping Glasgow's cultural identity. Through the DIY arts culture and interventions in the city, the tour explores the roots of the internationally acclaimed arts scene putting Glasgow on the map. Hidden artworks by Turner Prize winners and cultural oddities are revealed as GSA's engaging artist guides tell the story of Glasgow's creative boom and let you into the secrets of the city. This tour starts at The Glasgow School of Art and finishes in the Merchant City.

Does the tour route allow disabled access?

Unfortunately this tour may not be suitable forthose with limited mobility asthe tour routes incorporateapproximately 2.5 miles of walking up and downhill at pace.  We will always do our best to accommodate any special requirements however so please contact us with any queries when making your booking.  For those hard of hearing or with limited vision, again please contact us and we do all we can to accommodate your group.

Are the City Walking Tours suitable for children?

We recommend that primary school groups do not book the GSA City Walking Tours, mainly due to the associated risks involved in taking young children along the city's streets.  We are happy to welcome secondary school groups, accompanied by one or two teachers / supervisors, dependent on group size, and children of any age as part of a family group.

What happens if it is raining on the day of the tour?

The City Walking Tours go ahead come rain or shine, and we are equipped with large umbrellas to keep our visitors dry and happy!  Please ensure that your group wears suitable clothing and footwear on the day.

Is there anything we can do to make our tour extra special?

We are always happy to discuss any special requirements you may have and well equipped to put together appropriate gifts for your group, to organise Mackintosh building tours to create a full day's itinerary to ensure your group has the best possible experience of The Glasgow School of Art and the city as a whole. 

Is there time for a comfort stop on the City Walking Tour?

Yes, our tour route is planned with exploration but also comfort in mind.  Along the route there will be the opportunity to sit down, to grab a quick coffee to drink as you go, and to use a rest room!

What happens if I want to change or cancel my private group tour booking?

Please give a minimum of 48 hours' notice by telephone on  +44 (0)141 566 1472 / +44 (0)141 353 4526 if any changes need to be made to the information contained within your confirmation email.  Failure to do so may result in disappointment, and although we will always do our best to accommodate any changes, please note that changes to the dates and / or times of private GSA City Walking Tours are unfortunately unlikely to be possible after booking confirmation has been received. We apologise that we are not able to accommodate changes without 48hrs notice and your deposit will be forfeit in this instance if this leads to cancellation.   If you wish to cancel your booking unfortunately we cannot refund the deposit amount, but we will be happy to organise an alternative timeslot for you, subject to availability.

When and where should I arrive for my tour?

We ask groups to arrive at least 10 minutes before the tour is scheduled to depart to allow us to allocate your tickets, settle payment and store coats and bags if necessary.  

The group should arrive at the GSA Shop, from the eastern entrance of the Mackintosh building, located at 11 Dalhousie Street, Glasgow G3 6RQ.  Our tour guides will collect your group from here.

What can I do if I arrive early for my tour?

Our Mackintosh Interpretation Space is available for you to explore through the GSA Shop whilst you wait for your tour to depart and our fantastic shop is also open for you to browse. The School also runs a regular schedule of exhibitions on campus which you will be very welcome to visit if you arrive early for your tour or would like to see more when you finish.

What happens if the group is late? 

We understand that it is often difficult to get large groups around the city on a tight schedule so we will always do our best to ensure your group gets the most out of their visit even if the schedule slips a little!  Please help us to meet this commitment by contacting us with as much notice as possible if you know you are going to be late for your tour.

If your group arrives up to half an hour late for a private tour, we may need to curtail the length of the tour slightly so that it finishes at the pre-arranged time, depending on our tour guides' availability and the tour schedule for that day.

If the group arrives between half an hour and an hour late but would still like to participate on a tour, we will do our best to accommodate this subject to guides' availability and the tour schedule for that day.An additional charge of £20 will be incurred to cover administrative expenses and our tour guides' fee. 

If the group arrives 1 hour or more later than the tour departure time we will do our best to find another slot for the tour that day,subject to availability, however this will forfeit the deposit for the original tour and the group will be charged in full for another private tour slot.

Can I take photographs during the City Walking Tour?

You are welcome to take photographs of any aspect of the exterior of the buildings along the route; however inside the buildings photography is often limited or prohibited, at the individual venues' discretion.  We try to make sure that the group is not delayed by extended photo opportunities, and we provide a map so that interesting spots can be revisited after the tour has finished.

Where do the profits from my tour booking go?

All of the profits from our tour and shop sales are donated to the School annually to support the educational activities of The Glasgow School of Art and to fund the continuing conservation of the Mackintosh building.

How do I get to The Glasgow School of Art?

The visitor entrance to The Glasgow School of Art is at 11 Dalhousie Street, Glasgow, G3 6RQ.  We are located at the top of Garnethill in Glasgow's city centre, 15 minutes' walk from the two main railway stations; Central Station and Queen Street Station.  We are 5 minutes' walk from Cowcaddens Subway Station, 2 minutes from the LLP car park at Cambridge Street and buses 16, 18, 44, 44a and 57 all stop near the School.  There is a taxi rank nearby where Holland Street meets Sauchiehall Street and Glasgow Airport is a 20 minute drive from our doorstep. There are plenty of parking spaces in the streets surrounding the School and we sell parking vouchers in the GSA Shop.  For a detailed map please type our postcode into http://www.streetmap.co.uk/ or contact us for more information.