Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities

Host organisation: National Trust for Scotland

Project title: Birthplace Tourism – Scoping Significance in Contemporary Scotland

Project description

The National Trust for Scotland owns and manages four birthplace sites: Hugh Miller's Cottage, J M Barrie's Birthplace, Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, and Thomas Carlyle's Birthplace. Presently, the Trust lacks a framework through which to understand and articulate the significance of these birthplace sites as a distinct group, or to position them, via a values-based approach, in a relational context to other types of heritage place within our portfolio.

This lack of significance evaluation or positional context presents a challenge for the Trust's strategic planning, and has raised several important questions:

• How should the significance of birthplace sites, as a particular category of heritage place, be evaluated?
• Are birthplace sites of significance to particular audiences/communities?
• To what extent does the significance of a birthplace change in relation to the cultural or historical significance attributed to the person associated with it?
• How can birthplace sites be positioned in relation to other heritage sites using a values-based approach to assess significance as per international best practice?

The Trust is interested in an initial piece of scoping research that examines the wider context of birthplace sites in Scotland, the United Kingdom, and the Anglophone world more broadly. Through a review of relevant sites and associated literature, the project should explore how, why and when birthplaces have been acquired and protected, and whether their protection is specific to a particular period, how they are discussed and presented to the public today, and how this relates to the significance of the individuals with whom they are associated.

The project should provide a comparative context through which the Trust can better understand and position its own four birthplace sites within the wider heritage landscape.

Outputs

• A facilitated workshop with relevant Trust staff to present and discuss emerging findings, explore their applications to the Trust’s four birthplace sites, and capture organisational perspectives to inform final research outputs.
• A scoping report that sets out the findings of the project, including relevant literature and comparator sites, key themes in the significance and positioning of birthplaces, implications for the Trust’s four birthplace sites, and recommendations for further research or development.
• A short practical resource for the Trust’s heritage planning team that distils the research into key considerations and questions that can support future discussion and assessment of birthplace significance.

In person/remote/hybrid

Hybrid.

Primarily desk-based, with site visits to the four Trust-owned birthplace sites, and other relevant birthplace sites / archives as required by the Head of Heritage Planning.

Benefits to the researcher

The researcher will benefit from the experience of conducting applied heritage research within a national organisation, including working with real-world constraints, multiple stakeholders, and organisational priorities. They will have the opportunity to refine their skills in comparative analysis, synthesis of diverse evidence sources, and the interpretation of heritage significance within a professional context.

The researcher will also gain experience in knowledge exchange and research communication beyond academia, including facilitating discussion with heritage professionals and translating research findings into practical insights and recommendations.

Key relationships

National Trust for Scotland staff.

Subject areas

This opportunity would be relevant to the following subject areas:

Museum Policy & Management; Heritage Management; Cultural History.

Person specification

A1. Knowledge Base

• Essential: Research methods – theoretical knowledge; Research methods – Practical application.
• Desirable: Subject knowledge.

A2. Cognitive Abilities

• Essential: Analysing; Synthesising; Critical thinking; Evaluating.
• Desirable: Problem Solving.

A3. Creativity

• Essential: Inquiring minds.
• Desirable: Intellectual insight; Innovation.

B1. Personal qualities

• Essential: Enthusiasm; Responsibility.
• Desirable: Perseverance.

B2. Self management

• Essential: Preparation and prioritisation; Commitment to research; Time management.
• Desirable: Responsiveness to change. 

B3. Professional & career development

• Desirable: Networking.

C1. Professional conduct

• Essential: Appropriate practice.

C2. Research management

• Desirable: Research Strategy; Project planning and delivery.

D1. Working with others

• Desirable: Team working; Collaboration.

D2. Communication & dissemination

• Essential: Communication methods.

D3. Engagement & impact

• Essential: Public Engagement.
• Desirable: Teaching; Policy.

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First published: 28 September 2026