19 September 2025 (12:00 - 15:00)
20 September 2025 (10:00 - 15:00)

The Merchants House has played a key role in shaping Glasgow’s governance for centuries.
Visitors are warmly invited to drop in and freely explore this historic building, originally constructed around 1877.
As part of the Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival programme, you can also book free tickets for a historic talk at 1:00pm on both Friday 18th and Saturday 19th September, featuring guest speaker Paul Noble.
Historic Talk with Guest Speaker Paul Noble – Friday 18th & Saturday 19th September
David McHaffie (1755-1837) - An ordinary Glasgow Merchant?
This talk will take us on a captivating journey into the life, loves and legacy of David McHaffie - a man who left his own mark on the city of Glasgow, one that even the most esteemed Lord Dean of Guild would have to look up to!
Paul explains:
“When I recovered a few discarded items from beneath the floorboards of my 1930s South Side bungalow, little did I know that it would lead me on a remarkable journey through time, connecting my house and the land it sits upon to individuals from centuries past. The land was once owned by David McHaffie (1755-1837), who in 1780, at the age of 25, purchased his Burgess & Guild Brethren ticket. Through him, his eldest and youngest sons later joined the ranks of the Merchants House in 1820 and 1831, respectively.
Whilst the walls of the Merchants House are adorned with the portraits of some exceptional Deans of Guild, great individuals whose achievements have been celebrated down through the generations, what do we know of their lesser burgess & guild brethren whose lives are not captured in the annals of history?”

You can book your free tickets for these exciting talks using the hyperlinks in the Key Information box on the right of this listing.

Overview:
The Merchants House of Glasgow is a Grade A listed building originally built by John Burnet c1877 and extended in c1912 by his son, also John Burnet.
With stained glass windows depicting the first sitting of the Council and the Signing of the letter of Guildry in 1605.
Features include an original door from the first Merchants House at the Briggait and a bas relief above the fireplace in the Directors room.

Bike parking at Queen Street railway station.
The Merchants House is a Heritage Grade A listed building, we are unable to accommodate most modern electric mobility chairs, please find details of our lift dimensions here
Internal Length: 4ft (1.21metre)
External Width: 23inches (58.42cms)
On site we offer manually operated wheelchairs which do fit our lift and those who wish and are able/willing to transfer can do so. Our onsite staff will provide the chair when required – advance notice is welcomed. This will gain access to our Level One rooms.
Please note that we are unable to take the electronic chair to the same level as the attendee, this can be stored on Ground Level.

Address
7 West George Street, Glasgow, G21BA