Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is calling for people across the country to connect with heritage to boost their wellbeing as a part of a national campaign, Historic Places, Breathing Spaces.
It comes after a recent HES survey* found 60% of people reported improved wellbeing because of visiting a HES site, and 74% of people felt a sense of connection to the sites after visiting.
Now HES is working with wellbeing organisations, influencers and communities across the country to encourage more people to visit heritage sites and discover the benefits it can bring for mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. Historic Places, Breathing Spaces is the latest action from HES to encourage community participation in heritage to support wellbeing.
As part of the initiative, people are invited to submit their photos and videos expressing how heritage makes them feel. HES will create an online exhibition to further inform and develop the role of heritage sites in supporting wellbeing.
Take part in the exhibitionTo inspire those looking to explore Historic Scotland sites in new ways this summer, staff have recommended their favourite walks to help the public discover some of the lesser-known areas at local landmarks. HES has also curated playlists inspired by Scotland and its cultural impact for visitors looking to further enhance their walks with an auditory experience, available now on Spotify.
This national initiative follows regional work by HES and partners to encourage heritage engagement to boost health and wellness. Laura Macdonald, a public health researcher specialising in place-based health inequalities at the University of Glasgow, worked with HES in 2023 to lead research revealing the important links between heritage and mental wellbeing*.
Speaking about Historic Places, Breathing Spaces Laura Macdonald said:
Our research has found that people living near to local heritage sites, who actively visited them, reported significantly better mental health.
Many heritage sites, particularly historic parks and gardens, provide valuable access to green space, creating a powerful combination of cultural and natural assets that work together to reduce stress and promote mental health.
“Community engagement initiatives play a vital role in making these benefits more accessible - by raising awareness of local heritage through activities such as guided walks and heritage volunteering, communities can help more people interact with heritage and experience the mental health benefits it can provide. It will be fascinating to see how the Historic Places, Breathing Spaces campaign will bring further awareness of this on a national level.”
As the national body in Scotland responsible for investigating, caring for and promoting Scotland's historic environment, HES plans to use information gathered through this latest initiative to explore the social value of heritage sites, and how that can support the country’s wider wellbeing agenda.
The Historic Places, Breathing Spaces initiative is endorsed by Black Scottish Adventurers; a community dedicated to encouraging participation of ethnic minority individuals to enjoy and engage with Scotland’s outdoor environment. Alistair Heather, known online as “Historic Ally”, is also participating in the campaign to encourage more people to connect with heritage and history in Scotland.
HES Director of Marketing and Engagement, Stephen Duncan, said:
“We are proud to launch Historic Places, Breathing Spaces to encourage people to boost their wellbeing by visiting heritage sites across Scotland.
We want people across the country to share their stories about what heritage means to them, and how their wellbeing is boosted by connecting with it.
“Scotland’s historic sites attract visitors from around the world to discover and learn about our rich history, but what heritage can also offer is a place to reflect and reconnect with ourselves in the modern world. We want to collaborate with more organisations and individuals to encourage people to explore our sites in news ways and connect with their local heritage.
“Our research shows that 60% of people who have visited HES sites report improved wellbeing from engagement with the historic environment. This summer we want to encourage everyone to engage with heritage and discover for themselves the wellbeing boost it can bring, and to be part of a national exhibition that celebrates Scotland’s historic environment in a new way.”
Notes to editors
* About Historic Environment Scotland (HES) visitor survey
HES survey information is extracted from a visitor survey which is emailed to all visitors who book online. The activity ran from 01/04/2024 to 21/04/2025
Question data quoted:
Do you feel that visiting a historic attraction today impacted on your sense of wellbeing? Responses to this survey: 19,219 people.
Yes, my sense of wellbeing improved because of my visit: 11,458 people (59.62%)
Did you feel a sense of connection to the site you visited? This could be a human connection, connection to nature, to the site more generally or to the heritage and culture of Scotland.
Responses to this survey: 18,173 people.
Yes: 14,288 people (74.34%)
* Previous Historic Environment Scotland (HES)/University of Glasgow research
Ref: Macdonald, L., Nicholls, N., Gallou, E., Monckton, L. and Mitchell, R., 2023. Is spatial exposure to heritage associated with visits to heritage and to mental health? A cross-sectional study using data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS). BMJ open, 13(3), p.e066986.
About Historic Environment Scotland (HES)
- We are the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. It is at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future, investigating and recording architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes across Scotland and caring for more than 300 properties of national importance. We are also the lead on delivering Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.
- Historic Scotland, trove.scot, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle, Edinburgh Castle and Stòr are sub-brands of HES.
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For further information, please contact:
Julia Woolman
Historic Environment Scotland Media Office
07881 512 379
communications@hes.scot