Glasgow Women's Library

Introduction

Glasgow Women’s Library is the only Accredited Museum in the UK dedicated to women’s lives, histories and achievements, with a lending library, archive collections and innovative programmes of public events & learning opportunities.

Plan Your Visit

Warm Welcome

GWL is open to all, free, and friendly!

Amongs the GWL shelves, a woman sits reading a book, wile another stands browsing the shelves.

We are a Library

From pioneering artists, explorers and political activists to fiction and poetry from Scotland and around the world, our lending library will have something to spark your curiosity.

Not sure where to start? Explore our Reading Ideas.

We are an Archive

Our collections are an invaluable and unique resource, which provide vital evidence of women’s achievements, culture and lives.

Get a taste of our collections in one of our Open Archive events.

We are a Museum

From the smallest protest badge to artworks embedded in the fabric of our building, our collections reflect the multi-faceted experiences of women past and present.

Explore highlights from our collections in our online exhibitions.

We are an Art Space

GWL has worked with artists from our earliest days in a storefront in Garnethill, supporting creatives to make ground-breaking work informed by our rich collection and the diverse communities that contribute to our vision of a world in which every woman is able to fulfil her potential.

Find out more about our work with artists.

We are a Learning Space

Learning is at the heart of everything we do, from helping women with their reading, writing and numbers to sharing our expertise and experience in addressing inequalities.

Find out about Learning at GWL

Get Involved

There are lots of ways to get involved at GWL, from borrowing books and attending events, to volunteering and helping to develop projects.

Find out how to get involved

Workshop attendees in discussion at a workshop about how to protest
What's on at GWL
What's on at GWL
Explore our events calendar
Support our work
Support our work

GWL has always grown with the help of our supporters

Find out how you can help
Volunteer at GWL
Volunteer at GWL

Volunteers are involved in all aspects of our work, learning new skills and enriching our organisation with their ideas and enthusiasm.

Find out more about volunteering
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GWL's building in Landressy Street, bright sunlight making the blond sandstone walls and columns glow

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    This is who we are

    GWL’s work is rooted in our vision, mission and values, celebrating the lives and achievements of women and addressing the gender gap that contributes to widespread inequalities in Scotland.

    Find out about how we work

    Addressing Inequalities
    Addressing Inequalities

    Addressing inequalities is integral to the history and culture of Glasgow Women’s Library

    Find out how we address inequalities
    Caring For Our Environment
    Caring For Our Environment

    Care for our environment is built into everything we do at GWL

    Find out how we care for our environment
    Learning at GWL
    Learning at GWL

    Learning is at the heart of Glasgow Women's Library's work

    Find out more about learning at GWL
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    Today at GWL

    Pastel illustration of a young girl holding a baby in her arms

    Kate Downie: Conversations with Joan

    12th September, 2024 to 25th January, 2025

    Drawn to the possibilities left open by Joan Eardley’s last, incomplete, painting Two Children (1962), artist Kate Downie is debuting her recreated and completed version of Eardley’s iconic painting alongside other new works that explore childhood, sibling relationships, care and creativity.

    She Settles in the Shields: Exhibition

    17th September to 31st October

    Glasgow Women’s Library invites you to explore the rich tapestry of stories that make up our community with our special exhibition, ‘She Settles in the Shields’.

    A pile of books written by Black writers stacked on a table in the library. The titles include Trumpet by Jackie Kay, All About Love by bell hooks, and Unbower by Wangari Maathai

    Black Women in Our Collections

    1st October to 2nd November

    Staff and volunteers at GWL have chosen their favourite works in our collection by Black writers, activists and artists.

    Upcoming events

    Photograph of a 10 people walking along a path in the Necropolis with Glasgow Cathedral in the background

    Necropolis Women's Heritage Walk

    19th October, 2:00pm

    This hilly walk, based in one of Glasgow’s most fascinating Victorian garden cemeteries, looks at the stories of both the notorious and the forgotten women who are buried in these atmospheric and ethereal surroundings, with fantastic views over the city.

    Conversation Café

    23rd October, 12:30pm

    If you are new to speaking English or fancy a cuppa and a chat, this event is perfect for you!

    The Feminist Women's Health Centre leaflet placed on a table

    Shona Macnaughton: The Participatory Clinic

    23rd October, 2:00pm

    Artist Shona Macnaughton will be hosting a drop-in session to look at materials from women's and LGBTQ health literature in the collection.