The Empire Exhibition of 1938 was a major international exposition held in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow. Its purpose was to showcase the achievements of the British Empire, promote trade, and strengthen imperial bonds. It attracted around 13 million visitors during its six-month duration, yet today there is so little evidence remaining that most people are unaware of its existence, even if they regularly visit Bellahouston. Whilst overshadowed by the Second World War, the Empire Exhibition remains a significant historical event and continues to be relevant to the study of British social, cultural, economic, industrial, and political history. However, there is now a crucial need to reassess narratives of the Empire Exhibition from a postcolonial perspective.
This exhibition highlights the voices of people who were not widely represented in the official histories and legacy of the event, alongside contemporary Glaswegians, reflecting on their own connections to Glasgow, colonialism, anti-racism, and identity.
Empire Retold: other voices from the British Empire Exhibition aims to encourage links between traditional historical perspectives and contemporary understandings of the Exhibition and its legacies. The exhibition is accompanied by a mobile app “Empire Retold” which allows both critical and playful re-readings of history, on site in Bellahouston Park.
The exhibition takes place at The Glasgow School of Art’s Garnethill Gallery from 17 July until the 9 August 2025. An Exhibition Preview takes place 5pm – 7pm Wednesday 16th July and is free entry but ticketed. Please apply through Eventbrite for tickets. Find out more information on the research project Decolonising Augmented Reality here.
For further information please contact press@gsa.ac.uk
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About The Glasgow School of Art (GSA)
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is internationally recognised as one of Europe’s leading independent university-level institutions for education and research in the visual creative disciplines. Our studio-based, specialist, practice-led teaching, learning and research draw talented individuals with a shared passion for visual culture and creative production from all over the world. Originally founded in 1845 as one of the first Government Schools of Design, the School’s history can be traced back to 1753 and the establishment of the Foulis Academy delivering a European-style art education. Today, the GSA is an international community of over 3500 students and staff across architecture, design, fine art, innovation and technology in our campuses in Glasgow and Altyre (in the Scottish Highlands) and a thriving Open Studio programme delivering non-degree provision to over 1500 students annually.
About the School of Innovation and Technology (SIT)
The School of Innovation and Technology (SIT) explores future opportunities for innovation by considering alternative ways of living in the present. SIT aims to integrate social and technological innovations in a way that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries within art and science and examine complex questions in fields such as healthcare, education, technology and pressingly within the context of the climate/ecology crisis.
