<P> Opened in 1996, the Gallery of Modern Art is housed in a neoclassical building in Royal Exchange Square in the heart of Glasgow city centre . Built in 1778 as the townhouse of William Cunninghame of Lainshaw, a wealthy Glasgow Tobacco Lord who made his fortune through the triangular slave trade, the building has undergone a series of different uses . It was bought in 1817 by the Royal Bank of Scotland who later moved onto Buchanan Street; it then became the Royal Exchange . Reconstruction for this use was undertaken by David Hamilton between 1827 and 1832 and resulted in many additions to the building, namely the Corinthian pillars to the Queen Street facade, the cupola above and the large hall to the rear of the old house . </P> <P> In 1954, Glasgow District Libraries moved the Stirling's Library into the building . When the library returned to Miller Street, the building was refurbished to house the city's contemporary art collection . </P> <P> Since its opening in 1996, the gallery has hosted several million visitors . It has a dedicated Education and Access studio, facilitating workshops and artists talks and in the basement a Learning Library . The building also contains a café, free Internet access terminals, multimedia, art, and general book - lending facilities . Exhibits include works by David Hockney, Sebastião Salgado, and Andy Warhol as well as Scottish artists such as John Bellany and Ken Currie . </P> <P> The mirrored pediment on the exterior of the building is by artist Niki de Saint Phalle, and entitled Tympanum (1996). Saint Phalle also installed the mirrored vestibule to the gallery . </P>

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