Museum is shortlisted for top award
A popular Lanarkshire museum is up for a top award after the success of one of its exhibitions.
The David Livingstone Birthplace in Blantyre has been named in the shortlist in the prestigious Museums and Heritage Awards 2022.
The global awards are known as ‘the Oscars of the museums world’, with some of the best visitor attractions being celebrated throughout the world.
The Blantyre centre was named in the category of Permanent Exhibition of the Year, along with five other nominees, and the winners are expected to be announced in May.
After a £9.1 million regeneration project, the museum finally reopened last summer after four years.
It has since enjoyed welcoming back visitors to the home of Lanarkshire’s most famous explorer.
The Birthplace has been redesigned to follow Livingstone’s life from birth to death, alongside new exhibits that focus on his 21st century legacy within the context of Scotland’s role in slavery and colonisation.
It now hosts a whole new range of collections and through key objects and interactives, the stories of the African men and women in Livingstone’s crew are featured for the first time as part of the new exhibition.
The display aims to highlight marginalised histories relating to the explorer’s story and present the interconnected role of his crew in the success of his explorations, the return of his body after his death and his ongoing legacy.
On receiving the news of being shortlisted in the Museums and Heritage Awards, the David Livingstone Birthplace Museum posted: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be shortlisted for Permanent
Exhibition of the Year. The ceremony will take place this May, so fingers crossed until then.
“Thanks to all of our supporters, including our key funders who made The Birthplace Project possible: National Lottery Heritage Fund; Historic Environment Scotland; and the Scottish Government.
“If you haven’t seen our exhibition yet, please do come along and check it out.”
The museum is set to begin its new season at the end of March with new presentations, Q and A sessions, workshops and lots more ready to welcome locals and visitors to the historic site.
You can find out more on the museum’s website at: https://www.davidlivingstone-birthplace.org.
A glittering live ceremony will announce the winners on Wednesday, May 11.
The full shortlist is available at https://awards. museumsandheritage.com/