Archaeology Scotland

Archaeology Scotland is the leading independent charity working to inspire people to discover, explore, care for and enjoy Scotland’s archaeological heritage. We were established over 75 years ago and have gained a wealth of experience with community engagement, volunteer management and professional best practice.

What we do...

Learning

Learning is at the heart of everything we do at Archaeology Scotland, from storytelling activities for the under 5s to workshops for older adults, and everything in between! As lead body for Aim 4 of Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy, we are passionate about encouraging greater engagement with Scotland’s archaeological heritage. Archaeology can play an important role in formal learning, helping deliver the Curriculum for Excellence across all areas. We offer support, advice and training opportunities for teachers, youth group leaders and home educators, and provide engaging learning materials through our Heritage Resources Portal and loan kit service.

Heritage Hero Awards

Designed to inspire a lifelong interest in Scotland’s past, these awards celebrate learning, increase access to heritage projects and improve self-confidence and wellbeing through engagement with challenging heritage projects. Participants can work their way through a set of awards, starting at Heritage Explorer (for discovering heritage) through to Gold (for leading and inspiring through heritage). Projects can be based on any form of heritage, be it buildings, museum collections, historic sites or digital collection and oral history projects. Since its launch 5 years ago, 14,700 people have now achieved a Heritage Hero Award.

Attainment through Archaeology

Attainment through Archaeology (AtA) aims to engage and connect young people with their local heritage, raising aspirations for work and further learning, developing new skills and knowledge while improving health and wellbeing within a supportive, outdoor learning environment. AtA uses hands-on archaeology activities to help close the attainment gap and support skills development. The programme gives young people the opportunity to work alongside professional archaeologists and apply curriculum learning in a real world context.

New Audiences Project

Over the last two years Archaeology Scotland has been working hard on our New Audiences project with funding from HES. The central focus of this project is to open-up archaeology to marginalised and displaced people. This includes people who have been isolated by the pandemic and groups of New Scots – people who have recently made Scotland their home. The focal point of the project has been excavations at the site of the original Hampden football stadium (1873-1883) on the southside of Glasgow. Tied into First Hampden are remarkable diverse histories. We will expand on this initiative over the next three years, ensuring archaeology is accessible to all.