- People are invited to share Scotland’s heritage through Historic Sundays initiative
One of Scotland’s most iconic landmarks is starring in a new campaign by Historic Environment Scotland (HES), showcasing the country’s rich historic environment as the organisation shines a light on the heritage we see all around us, every day.
The Forth Bridge, which is a designated world heritage site alongside global landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and President’s Heads in Mount Rushmore, is featured in the new campaign video which highlights the broad-spectrum heritage covers – from highstreets and industrial landmarks to visitor attractions and cultural venues.
The bridge is shown as one of seven unique heritage sites that feature in the video, highlighting the diversity we see all around us, from the physical environments to intangible cultural heritage across the country.
To provide further opportunities to engage with heritage, HES, who are Scotland’s largest operator of visitor attractions is offering free admission by pre-booking online, to its Historic Scotland winter ticketed sites the first Sunday of the month between now and March 2024.
Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of Historic Environment Scotland, said: “Scotland would be a very different place without the language, culture, buildings, and artefacts that have helped shape it. The campaign that we’ve launched today shows that heritage is everywhere; it’s a living part of our world, that we come into contact with every day, and brings with it a number of benefits.
“86% of people report a wellbeing benefit from engaging with heritage and the historic environment has a clear part in making a responsible contribution to the Scottish economy. Playing a vital role as we build a wellbeing economy, we need to recognise that our heritage matters.
“World-renowned for its historic places, archaeological sites, and ancient landscapes, the campaign helps us stop and appreciate the heritage that surrounds us, even in the unusual and less likely places. From the bridges we travel across to the culture and arts that have helped shaped our communities – they all form our historic environment.”
Scotland’s historic environment was worth £4.6 billion to the economy pre-pandemic, welcoming over 18million visitors, and supports a number of areas from the reuse of historic buildings to contributing to Scotland’s net-zero targets.
Scotland has over 58,000 designations covering both cultural and natural heritage. HES lists structures of special architectural or historic interest and looks after more than 300 properties in care. Investing in communities through grant funding, over £12 million is awarded by HES per annum for projects ranging from high street and streetscape projects, supporting skills and retrofit projects.
The Heritage Matters video is available to access here. To learn more about the historic environment that shapes the places and communities you live in, or to join in the conversation about why #HeritageMatters, speak to HES online at @histenvscot, or visit the website. For further information on the Historic Sundays campaign visit historicsundays.scot. Pre-booking is essential.
