The Glasgow School of Art

The history of the Glasgow School of Art is predominantly linked to Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the father of 'Glasgow Style', who's design for a new School of Art building in 1896 brought about a new style in 20th century European architecture, Art Nouveau. Mackintosh was an internationally renowned artist and designer, as well as architect.

However the origins of the building predate this by some 50 years, initially established in 1845 as Glasgow's Government School of Design. Under the direction of Francis Newbery in 1885, the school of art had expanded so rapidly that a new larger building was necessitated.

The GSA welcomes visitors to the Mackintosh Building to share one of his greatest masterpieces. Professor Sir Christopher Frayling rightly describes it as "The only art school in the world where the building is worthy of the subject". However, it is still a working art school and therefore the Mackintosh Building can only be visited by guided tour, conducted by GSA students.