Tourism

PLACES OF INTEREST

Burns House Museum, Mauchline

^ Burns House Museum, Mauchline

Robert Burns (Scotland's National poet) and Jean Armour began married life in Mauchline in 1788. The room they lived in is preserved to form part of the Burns House Museum in the centre of Mauchline.

From the 18th to 19th centuries the building deteriorated to such an extent that by 1915 it was uninhabitable. Charles Cowie, a Glasgow merchant, rescued the property which was renovated to create a small museum together with accommodation for the elderly. In 1958 the old people were moved out to more suitable accommodation and an appeal was launched to again restore the property.

In 1969 it re-opened to a modern museum, retaining the Burns room and providing accommodation for a resident caretaker.

A section of the museum is devoted to the life of Robert Burns, but the village is also famous for curling stones and Mauchline Box Ware, so exhibition space is also made available for these important themes.