Mitchell Library
Mitchell Library
4.5
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Mitchell Library and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Neighbourhood: City Centre
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
2,035 within 5 kms
Attractions
501 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
434 reviews
Excellent
291
Very good
115
Average
14
Poor
6
Terrible
8
averyglenthorne
London, UK87 contributions
May 2022
We visited in May 2022 and were expecting a fine building and an older traditional library so were disappointed. Tourist guide books talk the library up as a tourist attraction but we did not find this. As a working city library it is probably fine and useful - we note other reviews commending its archives - but it is only a larger version of most competent local authority libraries.
Written 29 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wlaurence98
Glasgow, UK107 contributions
Mar 2019 • Solo
Librarians are extremely nice and helpful. If you are needing to study and need resources this is the place to go!
Written 13 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barbara M
Glasgow, UK43 contributions
July 2018 • Couples
Had a free guided tour here today.. Well worth the visit. 😃 It was great to see behind d the scenes. The guide was very informative. Most enjoyable.
Written 17 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jakinoz
Gold Coast, Australia50 contributions
Feb 2015 • Solo
During a visit to Scotland used the opportunity to spend a couple of days researching the Scottish side of my family tree. The family history room on the 5th level offer a full day of searching using the Scotland's People site for £15 from 9am till 4pm. Print outs of certificates cost 50p each. Well worth the money. Cafe on the ground floor for speedy lunch if you can drag yourself away from searching! Beautiful library and building.
Written 6 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VisitDontVisit
Oban, UK3 contributions
June 2013 • Business
I have used the 4th and 5th floors of this "Library" on a number of occasions. The staff on the 4th floor (and 5th) are awful. They are always angry and unhelpful. Are these people qualified librarians? I can't believe that they are!
I found the atmosphere to be bad, like a halfway house or down and out's hostel. Also, it was freezing on the 4th floor, with people wandering around (in the "library / reading areas") talking loudly to each other and / or on their mobile phones.
The (gents) toilets were out of order on the 4th floor, and 5th, and ground floor (both of them)! And, the cubicle light in the toilet on the 3rd floor was broken (dark), and there was no toilet paper. What a place! Not to mention the massive hole in the ceiling above the urinals. Are you kidding? Are they running this building down before closing it or something?
Yeah, the cafe is nice, and the staff on level 2 and 3 are okay, but the rest of the place is awful, truly awful.
I found the atmosphere to be bad, like a halfway house or down and out's hostel. Also, it was freezing on the 4th floor, with people wandering around (in the "library / reading areas") talking loudly to each other and / or on their mobile phones.
The (gents) toilets were out of order on the 4th floor, and 5th, and ground floor (both of them)! And, the cubicle light in the toilet on the 3rd floor was broken (dark), and there was no toilet paper. What a place! Not to mention the massive hole in the ceiling above the urinals. Are you kidding? Are they running this building down before closing it or something?
Yeah, the cafe is nice, and the staff on level 2 and 3 are okay, but the rest of the place is awful, truly awful.
Written 29 June 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
99rainraingoaway
Glasgow, UK85 contributions
Nov 2019 • Solo
As I live in the city, I thought it was time to visit the Mitchell and actually see what was there, beyond the books. Sylvia took the small group round the buildings through the ages and pointed to so many interesting aspects - architectural features, book stock, current provision, computers, community services and history. I particularly liked the variety of bright carpets on the different floors and the glass ceilings. Definitely worth booking - it’s free - whether local or visiting. It has inspired me to use the library more!
Written 19 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christine R
Welwyn Garden City, UK947 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
Spent a couple of hours in this lovely beautiful building talking to the very helpful ladies in the family history section. We found out so much! They even let us look at some rare and valuable books written by an ancestor!
Written 1 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
deniselouise
Philadelphia, PA33 contributions
July 2018 • Solo
A beautiful building all on its own! This library houses the Glasgow City Archives. Do your research before you go - they can only find documents if you already know what you're asking for. Using the Family History center requires a reservation and will cost 15 pounds for access to all of their records (through Scotland's People). The cafe offers a variety of food, deserts, and drinks at a reasonable price. Great gift shop.
Written 2 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary M
Cape Town, South Africa19 contributions
Jan 2018
Interesting building inside and out. Friendly knowledgeable staff. Well worth a visit. Check out the what's on pamphlets.
Written 18 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The_Family_Hen
Manchester, UK135 contributions
Nov 2017 • Solo
This is a beautiful building that can be easy to miss if you’re passing through Glasgow. I was surprised to learn that this was the largest research library in Europe. It houses the usual variety of library facilities including a good sized café and gift shop. When I attended there were some evening talks conducted in the central area and a Harry Potter exhibition.
My overwhelming feeling within the building was of relaxation. It is not overly fussy but rather warm and welcoming. The staff were really helpful and knowledgable. It is definitely a space I will return to to spend a relaxing few hours browsing.
My overwhelming feeling within the building was of relaxation. It is not overly fussy but rather warm and welcoming. The staff were really helpful and knowledgable. It is definitely a space I will return to to spend a relaxing few hours browsing.
Written 28 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I believe this is from the Gaelic, Ath Bruic – meaning ‘the badger’s ford’
My answer comes from being intrigued by your question and (spending perhaps too long!) looking around various internet sites. Amongst a lot of Celtic/Rangers rivalry, and then going to my Gaelic dictionary, I think 'badger's ford' is the best explanation for the origin of 'Ibrox' :O)
Written 16 July 2016
Showing results 1-1 of 1
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing