Robert Burns Birthplace Museum teacher information

Introduction

Burns Cottage was built by Robert Burns’s father, William Burnes, in the 1750s and it was here that Scotland’s national bard was born in 1759. He lived here until he was seven years old. The cottage has four rooms: the kitchen (which contains the bed in which Burns was born), the spence (where young Robert received lessons from his tutor John Murdoch), the byre (where the family’s animals were stabled) and the barn (where young Robert would help out with the harvest). The cottage is set beside a kailyard, where the family grew vegetables, and looks out towards the original smallholding farmed by the family.

Other Alloway attractions include the auld haunted Kirk and the Brig o’ Doon – both of which feature in Burns’s Tam o’ Shanter. Robert Burns Birthplace Museum has an enormous numbers of artefacts and interactive displays, bringing Burns to life. Burns Monument (built in 1823) is set amid beautiful Victorian gardens and is also well worth a visit.

Make the most of our four dedicated education spaces, our diverse programme of Sandford Award-winning school workshops, family activities and research services – all supported by our expert learning team. Discover our full range of indoor and outdoor sessions for Primary or Secondary classes below. We also have a range of accompanying resources.

Booking and charges

All visits must be booked in advance, including self-led visits to the site. Once you have booked, we will send a confirmation email with further pre-visit information, including an itinerary. Please ensure you have read this before your visit.

• RBBM-led session and tour | 90 min session | 1 hour guided site tour | £6 per head
• RBBM-led session | 90 min session | £5 per head
• Self-led | £3 per head
  (A 1 hour guided site tour can be added to your self-led visit for an additional £1 per head.)

All pre-booked visits can request full access to the RBBM site & lunch facilities.

Accompanying adults are free of charge in the following ratios:

• 1 adult : 5 pupils for Primary 1–2
• 1 adult : 8 pupils for Primary 3–7
• 1 adult : 10 pupils for secondary schools

How to book

Please download and complete our booking form (below) and return it to us at Burns@nts.org.uk

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss anything further before booking, please
contact us on 01292 443700.