Playtime at the museum
Project delivers Scots Wa- Hey facility
It’s playtime in the heart of Burns’ s country. A new playpark has been unveiled at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum.
Families first footed the Scots Wa- Hey facility in Alloway at the weekend with delighted children scampering around.
A witches cauldron roundabout, Auld Kirk climbing wall, Tam o’ Shanter zip wire and mini Burns Cottage are some of the exciting features.
The equipment is inspired by the Scots language used in the museum.
Caroline Smith, operations manager at the museum said: “To create Scots Wa- Hey we’ve taken loads of inspiration from Burns and Alloway and built a play area that is totally unique to this place. Not only is it loads of fun, but it’s a great chance to introduce our younger visitors to the bard and his words in a really engaging way.”
And it is gold stars all round for the team at Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, which has retained its rating as a five star visitor attraction from VisitScotland.
Ms Smith said: “We are really pleased to receive this recognition from VisitScotland. Our whole team works so hard to provide visitors with the best possible experience and it is great to hear that the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum is one of the top attractions in Scotland.”
The museum has also opened its latest exhibition - ‘ Clouts an Claes’ features costumes borrowed from the Dalvargen Mill Museum of Ayrshire Country Life and Scottish Opera, as well as items from its own collection and aims to give visitors an insight in fashion in Burns’ day.
The latest play park project in Alloway was supported by WREN, Tesco Bags of Help and South Ayrshire Waste and Environment Trust.
Stephen Dobson, Tesco Ayr manager, said: “It is just braw to see this project come to fruition. Burns is Scotland’s national poet and is part of the fabric of life in Ayrshire we are immensely proud to be involved with such a great local attraction.”
Sophie Cade, grant manager for WREN said: “We hope that the local community and visitors have lots of fun at the new facility.”
The National Trust for Scotland is introducing play parks in scenic locations with Culzean and Arran’s Brodick Castle benefitting from the boost.