Blog

Welcome to our blog about David Livingstone Birthplace, a museum and park near Glasgow that celebrates the life and legacy of one of Scotland’s most famous explorers. David Livingstone was a physician, missionary, and abolitionist who travelled across Africa in the 19th century. David was also an outspoken advocate for ending slavery and colonialism. Learn more about our events and activities relating to David Livingstone and the centre.

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Special Visit

Date 29 February 2024

We were delighted to welcome several special visitors, including the Malawi Parliamentary Women's Caucus, the Malawi Human Rights Commission Commissioner, and the Scottish Parliament.

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Unity in the Community - March 2024 Meeting Announced

Date 28 February 2024

The next meeting of the "Unity In The Community" locality network for Hamilton, Larkhall and Blantyre will be held on 21 March 2024.

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Christmas Wreath Making Workshop Great Success

Date 3 December 2023

At our Christmas Wreath Making Workshop our experienced flower arranger Margaret showed the attendees to make a beautiful wreath for your front door or as a table decoration for Christmas.

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Call for Papers (CfP) - #Legacy150 – "The Museum will not be Decolonised" Event

Date 30 November 2023

On the 150th anniversary of the funeral of Scottish traveller David Livingstone, international partners, researchers and diaspora groups come together in Scotland to discuss the legacy and interpretation of imperialism and colonially-collected objects in cultural heritage organisations.

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Unity in the Community - 2024 Meeting Announced

Date 22 November 2023

The next meeting of the "Unity In The Community" locality network for Hamilton, Larkhall and Blantyre will be held on 31 January 2024.

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Open Lecture - Decolonising the Curriculum: Why, What and How

Date 11 October 2023

Learn more about this important topic by watching an open lecture by Dr. Yonah Hisbon Matemba.

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Unity in the Community - Next Meeting Announced

Date 13 September 2023

The next meeting of Unity in the Community - the locality network for Hamilton, Larkhall and Blantyre will be held on Wednesday 4th October 10:30 - 14:30 at the Hamilton Academical Football Ground.

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The Blantyre Blast 2023

Date 15 August 2023

The David Livingstone Birthplace team has decided to Pedal for Poverty in the name of vulnerable women and girls imprisoned in poverty in collaboration with EMMS International in Malawi and Nepal. Join us on 2 September 2023 between 11:00 am - 3:00 pm.

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David Livingstone 150th Anniversary Honoured by UK Parlament

Date 10 August 2023

The UK Parliament has acknowledged the 150th anniversary of David Livingstone's death with an Early Day Motion.

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Unity in the Community - Second Meeting Announced

Date 21 June 2023

David Livingstone Birthplace is hosting the next Larkhall, Blantyre and Hamilton Locality Network meeting on 28 June 2028.

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Unity In The Community Inaugural Event

Date 26 March 2023

The David Livingstone Trust (DLT) and Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health (LAMH) are delighted to be working together to support the Third Sector in Blantyre, Larkhall and Hamilton via the Locality Network by facilitating and organising network events for all interested organisations.

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Wild Escape Easter Events Programme

Date 26 March 2023

Join us this Easter as we take you on a Wild Escape. With acvities and workshops for all ages, come on down to David Livignstone Birthplace for a day our celerating all things nature this Easter.

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Getting to David Livingstone Birthplace Museum

Date 6 March 2023

This year, we’ve teamed up with Good Journey so that we can offer 2for1 entry to anyone getting here by public transport, bike, or foot!

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Interning with David Livingstone Birthplace

Date 5 March 2023

Elena De Marco is currently an Interactive and Digital Media Production student interning with the David Livingstone Birthplace Museum.

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Cataloguing the Reference Library

Date 10 August 2022

An exploration of the reference library belonging to the David Livingstone Birthplace.

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Celebrating Youth at David Livingstone Birthplace

Date 2 August 2022

Reflecting on the recent Youth Open Day event at the David Livingstone Birthplace.

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Happy Birthday Blog

Date 28 July 2022

Happy Birthday to Us! Since we opened our newly imagined exhibition on 28 July 2021, we have welcomed over 10,000 visitors to the museum.

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David Livingstone Birthplace and Black Lives Matter

Date 25 May 2022

On 25th May 2020 George Floyd was killed. His death caused public outcry and led to global protests, as part of the Black Lives Matter movement.

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Your Adventurous Guide to Southern & Central Africa

Date 9 May 2022

Hi there! I’m David Livingstone. Originally from Blantyre, Scotland, I’m now making my way round Sub-Saharan Africa. It’s just one adventure after another!

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David Livingstone and the Blantyre Cotton Works

Date 1 April 2022

Livingstone grew up during the Industrial Revolution. This was a time when technological advances meant industry developed rapidly. Machines took over jobs that had previously been done by hand, meaning they could be done more efficiently.

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Our Immerse Visual and Audio Experience

Date 22 October 2021

The use of colourful graphics, which physically divide the Museum’s space, as well as sound effects, are just a few of the ways we immerse visitors into Livingstone’s life and experiences.

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Margot Lombaert Inspired By Livingstone

Date 19 August 2021

Have you noticed the stunning line drawings throughout David Livingstone Birthplace? After being brought on in 2019, designer Margot Lombaert worked with the Curatorial Team to create single-line image illustrations to portray elements of Livingstone’s story.

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Museum Landscaping Work Receives Much Needed Funding Boost

Date 13 July 2021

David Livingstone Birthplace was delighted to receive a £200 donation from the Asda Foundation’s Green Tokens Scheme and a huge selection of over 200 bedding plants and climbers from local supermarket Asda Blantyre.

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Blantyre Works Library Rehousing Project - Creating Book Sleeves

Date 13 June 2020

In reading, everything that I could lay my hands on was devoured... Scientific works and books of travel were my especial delight.

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Insights from the Collection - Antelope Skin Kaross

Date 20 May 2020

Learn more about the a cloak made out of Antelope skin traditionally known as a ‘kaross’ that was gifted to David Livingstone.

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Discovering Objects in a Diviner’s Medical Kit

Date 12 May 2020

Aimee Murphy talks about her work placement and how it was fascinating to learn more about the collection's objects and their histories. Including her main focus of research on the objects previously catalogued as ‘witch doctor apparatus’.

Conservation Treatment on Haswell Miller’s Painting 'The Barred Door'

Conservation Treatment on Haswell Miller’s Painting, 'The Barred Door'

Date 29 April 2020

While David Livingstone Birthplace is currently closed for refurbishment, behind the scenes a team of National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF)-funded museum professionals, volunteers and students have been working to ensure the collection is protected and cared for, including one of Haswell Miller’s paintings, titled The Barred Door.

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Alexandra Foulds: Textile Conservation with National Museums Scotland

Date 20 April 2020

David Livingstone Birthplace volunteer Alexandra Foulds describes her experience at a textile conservation workshop at the beginning of September 2019, organised by National Museums Scotland as part of their national training programme.

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Austin Ndala Explains Items from David Livingstone Birthplace Collection

Date 28 October 2019

Austin Ndala is a Next Step Initiative trainee with David Livingstone Birthplace. As a trainee, he gets to work in all aspects of museum and heritage practice, from community engagement to conservation.

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Pilkington Jackson Tableux

Date 2 August 2019

Charles d’Orville Pilkington Jackson, a prominent 20th Century British sculptor, was known for his work on some of Scotland’s most iconic landmarks, including The Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh Castle and statue of Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn.

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Lottie Roberts and Lucy Brayson Look Back at Their Time with David Livingstone Birthplace

Date 1 August 2019

Lottie Roberts (Learning and Outreach Trainee) and Lucy Brayson (Curatorial and Community Engagement Trainee) - Skills for Success Learners, Museums Galleries Scotland supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

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Navigation Handling Box

Date 29 July 2019

We all use maps for different things, but the one thing we have in common is that we use them to navigate or find our way. David Livingstone did the very same thing when he created and used maps to help navigate across Africa in the 1850s during his Trans-African expedition.

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The Smoke That Thunders

Date 4 December 2018

16 November 1855 was the 163rd anniversary of David Livingstone reaching the Falls bordering of Zambia and Zimbabwe.


We are very grateful to our key funders the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Government for their support in helping us deliver the Birthplace Project.

National Lottery Heritage Fund
Scottish Government
Historic Environment Scotland
Note: Please note that David Livingstone Birthplace (and the David Livingstone Trust) is no longer part of National Trust Scotland (NTS). NTS members will therefore no longer receive discounted/free entry to the Birthplace Museum.

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