Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum gives Dali's Christ of St John of the Cross a new home

Scotland's favourite painting has moved into a new home. Salvador Dali's Christ of St John of the Cross is now on display in a larger, purpose-built gallery on the ground floor of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, giving visitors an uninterrupted view and more time to experience it.

The new display, which opened on Friday 17 July 2026, offers two contrasting ways to see the painting. There is a quiet, contemplative space for reflection, and an enhanced digital interpretation that reveals insights into Dali's creative process and the story of how the work came to Glasgow. The film plays for four minutes, followed by four minutes of quiet, before repeating.

Digital screens transport visitors to Port Lligat in Spain, where the painting was created 75 years ago. The film uses Dali's own words to explain how it was made and how the vision for the work came to him in two cosmic dreams. A free Bloomberg Connects digital guide, Salvador Dali: Stories Behind a Masterpiece, is also available on visitors' own devices.

The story of the painting's arrival is part of Glasgow folklore. Director of Glasgow Art Galleries Dr TJ Honeyman spearheaded its purchase by the city in 1952 for £8,200, despite considerable public criticism of the cost, and he also secured the copyright. Letters on show reveal his reaction when he first asked about buying the painting and how his friendship with Dali grew. When it was first displayed, visitors paid one shilling to see it.

Bailie Annette Christie, chair of Glasgow Life, said it is difficult to quantify the impact of Honeyman's visionary acquisition and the cherished role it plays in the spiritual and cultural lives of Glaswegians and visitors. The new setting, she said, has widened understanding of Dali and will keep the painting a highlight of any visit for generations to come.

The gallery is in the East Gallery on the ground floor, reached through the Looking at Art gallery. More than a million people enjoy free entry to Kelvingrove each year, and the museum's current programme also includes a new interpretation of the John Glassford family portrait and Sir Billy Connolly's audio tour.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is in Glasgow's West End and is free to visit. Opening times and events are listed at glasgowlife.org.uk.