That is more than Edinburgh Castle, which is normally Scotland's biggest tourist draw, with 700,000 visitors.
Although the public will get to see the goodies from July 11, it is hoped the Queen will open it officially on September 13.
But Glasgow Lord Provost Liz Cameron and culture boss Bridget McConnell - wife of the First Minister - took the Sunday Mail behind the scenes last week for a sneak preview. They admit the gallery became their personal obsession. Bridget said: "It's been a privilege to be involved in this. It's going to be the most amazing legacy.
"There were times when I thought it was never going to be possible. But I'm hugely proud of what has been achieved."
The Victorian museum, which first opened in 1901, has been remodelled into an airy, elegant, 21st-century venue.
A Spitfire is now suspended from a ceiling, there will be a new Charles Rennie Mackintosh gallery with objects unseen for 50 years, and an Arctic Zone has been created, with frosty temperatures and howling winds. Interactive computer displays are being installed, there's an education zone and old masters have been restored and rehung.
Liz Cameron said: "What has been created is a world-class museum.
"Within this wonderful building we will display the richest, deepest and most impressive civic art collection in Europe - and one of the best in the world.
"It was a brave decision to close for three years.
"Outside London, Kelvingrove was the most visited museum in the UK.
"We could have closed it off bit by bit, like other museums have done but we felt we had to bite the bullet and I know we have done the right thing." Celebrities and business magnates backed the project, including entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter, who pledged £5million for a children's education wing.
Massive queues of visitors are expected when e doors open on July 11.
A team of workers is still busy manoeuvring the last of 8000 objects into position, removing bubble wrap from ancient sculpture and carefully hanging priceless masterpieces.
Liz said: "I grew up in nearby Partick and remember my dad taking me here.
"He left school at 14 and didn't have much of an education but he realised the things at Kelvingrove had the power to transform lives.
"He'd be pleased that I've been involved in looking after the museum for other generations."
The grand central hall is now flooded with natural light after makeshift offices that cluttered the place since the 1920s were removed.
Underground storage vaults, where 200,000 objects lay gathering dust for decades, have been refurbished. This is now a new, on-the-level area with an entrance from Kelvingrove Park.
The basement will house classrooms, a lecture theatre and a temporary exhibition space. A restaurant is in one of two new conservatories, with state-of-the-art kitchens costing about £1.5million.
Bridget said: "Kelvingrove can now be the venue for high-profile civic events. We'll also hire it out so it should pay for itself eventually."
Research showed around 80 per cent of visitors never went upstairs. Many missed works by Monet, Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Botticelli.
Bridget said: "We've tried to change that with an introductory gallery on the ground floor.
"It's a taster of what's upstairs and we hope people will want to see more.
"It's about making everything more accessible. We want this to appeal to all the family."
