Fairfield Heritage - the story of Glasgow's greatest shipyard

27/08/2026

COME TO FAIRFIELD. CAST A STITCH. TELL YOUR STORY. BE PART OF CLYDESIDE TAPESTRY…

As part of Doors Open Days Scotland join Dr Andrew Crummy MBE the acclaimed artist and designer of The Great Tapestry of Scotland as he leads the creation of a special Clyde Community Shipbuilding Tapestry.

Over three days visitors are invited to the Iconic Fairfield Boardroom to Cast a Stitch, share their memories and stories and become part of a unique artwork celebrating Glasgow and Govan’s rich shipbuilding heritage. No experience necessary just come along and add your thread to our shared story 🪡🧵

12/08/2026

Discover the power of Mary Barbour at Fairfield Heritage Museum.

A Govan woman who became a powerful voice for her community, Mary Barbour’s story is one of courage, determination and change.

Come discover her story — and the remarkable women who helped shape Govan’s history.

History at Fairfield. ⚒️

05/08/2026

A warm Fairfield welcome to Paul, who joined us all the way from Boston! 🇺🇸⚓

Paul’s visit came about thanks to the connections made during the FIFA World Cup and the incredible Tartan Army in Boston. It’s amazing to see how football, friendship and heritage can bring people together from across the Atlantic.

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit us. We hope you have a fantastic time exploring Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

25/07/2026

25/07/2026

It was an honour to have Mark Swan visit us at Fairfield today, Mark is the winner of Team England's first gold medal of Glasgow 2026, Mark who already has a silver medal from 4 years ago won gold in Para powerlifting. Thanks for visiting Mark and good luck in future competitions.

17/07/2026

Join Quality Control Manager and Yard Photographer David Millar as he explores the 19 ships built during Kvaerner’s tenure at Govan Shipyard. The presentation includes 2 x rare promotional films from the yard. Discover how Govan was transformed from a loss-making nationalised yard into a thriving world-class shipyard! Tickets available on Eventbrite

05/07/2026

We are open today 11am-4pm, come hear the story of Glasgow's greatest shipyard

Free Entry, open 7 days 11am-4pm until end of October

04/07/2026

🌍⚽ Did you go to a World Cup?
Were you part of the Tartan Army? Do you have unforgettable memories of following Scotland around the world?
We’d love to hear your stories! Share your favourite World Cup memories in the comments, or better still, come along to Fitba’ & the Yerds at Fairfield Heritage Museum and join the conversation.
Whether you travelled to the tournaments, watched from home, or remember the football scene in Govan’s shipyards, we’d love to welcome you.
Bring your stories, your memories… and your pals! ⚽💙

26/06/2026

Meet Isabella Ure Elder (1828–1905) – the remarkable woman behind one of Govan’s greatest legacies. ❤️

Born in the Gorbals on 15 March 1828, Isabella married engineer John Elder in 1857. Following his sudden death in 1869, she inherited his estate and, for nine months, oversaw the Fairfield Shipyard until new management was in place – an extraordinary role for a woman in Victorian Scotland.

Rather than simply enjoying her wealth, Isabella dedicated her life to improving the lives of others. Her generosity gave Govan and Glasgow some of their most treasured landmarks and opportunities, including:

⚓ Donating Elder Park to the people of Govan
📚 Establishing Elder Park Library
🚢 Endowing a Chair of Naval Architecture at the University of Glasgow
🎓 Supporting women to study medicine at the University of Glasgow

Today, her statue in Elder Park stands as a lasting tribute to one of Glasgow’s greatest philanthropists and one of the city’s pioneering women.

The striking mural pictured here, created by Glasgow artist ROGUEONER, celebrates Isabella Elder’s enduring legacy and can be found on Langlands Road, Govan where it continues to inspire residents and visitors alike.
📍Fairfield Heritage Museum
🕚 Open daily, 11am–4pm
🎟️ Free entry – donations gratefully received.

25/06/2026

⚽️ FITBA’, THE YERDS & FAIRFIELD ⚓️

Join us for a special afternoon celebrating football, shipbuilding and the communities that shaped them.

Set in the iconic Fairfield Board Room, enjoy stories from the bygone days and discover links between football, industry and community in Govan. With a line up including Special Guest Chick Young, Senior Curator of the Scottish Football Museum Richard McBrearty and Host Angus Dixon Senior Lecturer at GCU. Discover the powerful links between football, industry and community in Govan. Plus a specially curated ‘Fitba’ exhibition from Colin Quigley & the Govan Reminiscence Society.

📅 Saturday 11 July
⏰11-1pm
📍 Fairfield Heritage Centre, Govan
🎟️ Tickets £6 via Eventbrite or [email protected] for further details

♿ Wheelchair and lift access available.