12 November 1886 but soon afterwards two adjacent town houses at 185 Bath Street were purchased, these converted by the architect John Keppie, a member of the club, creating also an exhibition gallery in what were the back gardens of the houses. It has recently been confirmed that the young Charles Rennie Mackintosh was involved in the decorative details of the renovations and created a mural. The club’s new premises were formally opened on 14 June 1893.Glasgow Art Club history Retrieved 2011-08-17 The club embarked in 2011 on a major programme of renovation of its historic category A Listed building on Bath Street, Glasgow., including the restoration of the Gallery frieze designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who assisted John Keppie and John Honeyman in the design of the Gallery saloon. The club first admitted women as members in 1984, and elected its first female president, Efric McNeil, in 2015. In 2021 the Friends of Glasgow Museums moved their base to the Club, to continue its charitable activities in supporting art galleries and museums in Glasgow. In 2022 Westbourne Music moved their base for lunchtime mid-week concerts to the Club. Exhibitions and notable exhibitors The club’s stature in Glasgow was confirmed when on the occasion of the official opening by the Prince of Wales of the Glasgow International Exhibition of Science, Art and Industry in 1888, the Lord Provost of Glasgow presented the Prince and Princess of Wales with an album of paintings by members of the Glasgow Art Club. In the succeeding years the club has played host to many events, including, on the evening of 28 October 1932 a dinner honouring Dr. Pittendrigh Macgillivray RSA, King’s Sculptor in Ordinary for Scotland a member of the Club for some fifty years, and club member James B. Anderson ARSA. Initially the Club’s exhibitions were open only to members, in later years admission extended also to the general public. In 2008 Glasgow Art Club exhibited the jewelled panel The White Rose and The Red Rose by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, wife of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, before its sale for £1.7 million at Christie's on 30 April 2008. Since 2010 the club has opened its exhibition spaces and collections to the public on a regular basis (i.e. not just when specific exhibitions are being held.) Many notable member artists have exhibited at the club's exhibitions, including: The club's Winter exhibition of 1909 included works