Former Kelvin Hall Sports Arena

Why go

This name marks a chapter in Kelvin Hall’s sporting history rather than a bookable arena today. The former track helped the building host major indoor athletics, adding to its earlier exhibitions and concerts. When exploring the West End, see the restored hall and public displays, but do not plan to attend an event in the old arena.

What to look for

• Kelvin Hall’s surviving large-scale civic interior.
• The hall’s shift from sports arena to mixed cultural use.

The full story

Kelvin Hall’s former International Sports Arena belonged to a later chapter in a building first designed for large exhibitions. The indoor athletics space was created in the 1980s, as the hall found new uses after other event facilities opened in Glasgow. It hosted major competitions, including the 1990 European Athletics Indoor Championships, along with other sports. This sporting phase helps explain Kelvin Hall’s changing role in the West End. Exhibition building, transport museum and sports arena were uses of different parts of the same complex at different times, rather than three separate landmarks. The old arena’s track and stands have passed into the building’s history, while the hall’s large scale still conveys why it could accommodate such varied activities. Look at the building as a place adapted repeatedly to Glasgow’s changing cultural and sporting needs. For an event or exhibition, consult the hall’s programme before making a trip.

Useful to know

• Use the current Kelvin Hall programme for any visit.
• Do not expect the former athletics arena or track to be open.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.