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ENTERTAINMENT, HEALTH & LEISURE
Wester Kittochside
Philipshill Road
East Kilbride, G76 9HR
0300 123 6789
National Museum
of Rural Life
Escape to the countryside for a full day of family
fun at the National Museum of Rural Life, set on
a historic working farm. Animal antics, farmyard
favourites, country skills and crafts can all be enjoyed
at the sprawling attraction in East Kilbride. Visit the
farm at Wester Kittochside for seasonal agricultural
demonstrations with the animals and crops and
to gain an insight into how Scottish communities
used to till the land. The museum, which opened
in 2001, cost more than £9 million, a sum which
was made possible through a partnership between
the National Museums of Scotland, the National
Trust for Scotland, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the
European Regional Development Fund, South
Lanarkshire Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and
a number of private funders. The completed National
Museum of Rural Life features a 50,000-square-foot
museum and visitor centre, the Georgian buildings
of Wester Kittochside farm, the species-rich fields
and hedgerows around it and a 60 acre events
area. Many of the artifacts and equipment originally
came from the existing museum at Ingliston, while
others came from an operational traditional working
farm, as well as items which were donated and a
few which were specific acquisitions. The displays
illustrate how people lived and worked the land in
the past, and how this helped shape the countryside
which we see today. The museum also includes
items which highlight the folklore aspects of the
farming way of life, including a ‘cup marked’ stone,
a collection of charms and many other display items.
Members receive generous discounts plus free
access to National Museum of Rural Life and special
events throughout the year. Scotland’s history is one
that’s deeply enmeshed with the changing seasons
and cultivation of the land. National Museum of Rural
Life provides a fascinating snapshot into how our
forebears used to live.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF RURAL LIFE
