THE Museum & Heritage Awards have named a trio of Scottish sites on its shortlist.
The David Livingston Birthplace at Blantyre in South Lanarkshire is a finalist in the permanent exhibition of the year category.
Dundee Museum of Transport has been shortlisted for the sustainability project of the year award for its programme entitled “How can museums support the move to climate-friendly technology and lifestyles?”.
Meanwhile, “Bistro @ The Castle” at The Black Watch Castle & Museum in Perth is up for the café or restaurant of the year title.
The David Livingstone Birthplace Museum received the nod for the shortlist following a £9.1 million renovation.
Grant MacKenzie, director and trustee at the David Livingstone Birthplace Musuem and the David Livingstone Trust, said: “This recognition is truly reflective of the importance of Livingtone’s story for the modern day.
“When many of the books about Livingstone were initially written, there wasn’t much information about the people he met and worked with in Africa.
“Some of them weren’t named, some of them weren’t even written about.
“We have found out lots more about them since then, and the reinterpretation of the collection is much more reflective of the real experiences Livingstone had.”
MacKenzie addeed: “In the new museum, we show how Livingstone successfully collaborated with the local people he met to achieve his great feats of exploration.
“We have endeavoured to represent Livingstone’s interest in aspects of the local cultures that he encountered on his travels across the African continent and give space to show the valuable friendship he made during his journeys.
“Wherever possible, we have tried to humanise Livingstone showing his flaws as well as his greatest qualities.”
Livingstone was a Congregationalist who travelled to Africa with the London Missionary Society.
Read more stories about Scotland’s museums on Scottish Field’s culture pages.
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