Kelvin Hall facts for kids

The Kelvin Hall is a large building in Glasgow, Scotland. It's on Argyle Street. It first opened in 1927 as a huge place for exhibitions. Over the years, it has been many things. It was a concert hall, a sports arena, and even home to Glasgow's Museum of Transport.

Today, Kelvin Hall is a busy place for arts, sports, and culture. It is a very important building. It is protected as a historic site. You can get there easily by city bus or the Kelvinhall subway station.

History of Kelvin Hall

The Kelvin Hall stands next to the River Kelvin. It is across from the famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. The building was designed to fit in with the beautiful Kelvingrove Park. It has a grand entrance and is made of red sandstone.

The huge steel-framed building you see today was built in 1927. Before that, a temporary hall stood on the same spot. This first hall was built in 1918. It was used for big industry fairs. Sadly, this first hall was destroyed by a fire in 1925.

The new Kelvin Hall was designed by Thomas Somers. He was Glasgow's Master of Work and City Engineer. The new building is very big, covering about 6 acres. It was built to hold very large events. King George V officially opened the Kelvin Hall on July 12, 1927.

What Kelvin Hall Was Used For

Exhibitions and Concerts

The Kelvin Hall has hosted many exciting events. It held big concerts and trade shows. There were also Scottish industrial exhibitions and car shows. It even had circuses with lions, tigers, and elephants!

During World War II, the building was used differently. It became a factory. Workers made special balloons there for defense. These were called barrage balloons.

Many famous people have visited Kelvin Hall. In 1955, Billy Graham gave speeches there for six weeks. Boxer Jim Watt had important world title fights there in 1979 and 1980.

Many famous music artists played concerts at Kelvin Hall. Jerry Lee Lewis played there in 1964. The Kinks recorded a live album there in 1967. Other stars like Elton John, Yes, and Tangerine Dream also performed. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra held their "Proms" concerts there until 1990.

Former Museum of Transport

From 1988 to 2010, the Glasgow Museum of Transport was located in the Kelvin Hall. Many people visited it each year. They came to see its important collections. In 2011, the museum moved to a new building. This new home is called the Riverside Museum.

International Sports Arena

The Kelvin Hall also had a big sports arena. It hosted many international sports events. These included athletics, boxing, badminton, and volleyball. The Scottish Rocks professional basketball team played there for four years. They moved to a new arena in 2012.

Kelvin Hall Today

Arts, Culture, and Fitness Centre

In 2016, Kelvin Hall was redeveloped. It became a modern centre for arts, culture, and fitness. This project cost £35 million. It is a partnership between Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Life, the University of Glasgow, and the National Library of Scotland.

Proposed TV and Film Studio

There are also plans for a new TV and film studio inside Kelvin Hall. This studio will be very large. It will cost £11.9 million to build. The Scottish Government is helping to fund it. BBC Studioworks will operate the studio. It is expected to open in 2022. The studio will have production rooms, dressing rooms, and a cafe.

See also

In Spanish: Kelvin Hall para niños