Infrastructure Investment Plan 2015: progress report for 2020 to 2021

Culture, heritage and tourism

Key achievements over last five years

Maintaining capital investment in the culture, heritage and tourism sectors supports the continued delivery of a range of key Scottish Government outcomes, including culture, economy and community. This investment provides significant economic stimulus and successfully leverages additional investment from other sources across the public, private and third sectors. We are investing in key infrastructure, including our historic environment, a key part of our national identity and an essential driver for our tourism industry.

The V&A Dundee opened in September 2018, the first ever dedicated design museum in Scotland. The Scottish Government provided a £25 million capital grant and £12.6 million growth accelerator investment towards the new £80.1 million Museum.

£11 million was invested in the external refurbishment of the National Library of Scotland's (NLS) Causewayside building in Edinburgh, which completed in April 2019, providing an improved space for managing the Library's collections and co-locating the majority of NLS's digitisation activities on one site.

£2.2 million provided to support the redevelopment of Lews Castle and creation of the new Museum nan Eilean in Stornoway, officially opened by the First Minister in March 2017.

Historic Environment Scotland's Engine Shed project in Stirling, opened in 2017 and aims to develop and sustain the skill base we need to secure the future of Scotland's historic environment.

Progress in 2020-21

£5.75 million investment towards the refurbishment of the Burrell Collection. This flagship project is transforming access to Sir William Burrell's internationally significant collection of over 8,000 artworks, and repairing and redeveloping its A-listed home, one of Scotland's finest examples of post war architecture. The project will connect the museum with its setting within Pollok Country Park on the south side of Glasgow.

Continuing our investment in the redevelopment of the Scottish National Gallery (SNG) in Edinburgh – to date, we have committed over £12 million to the project. New, world-class galleries will be created to house the amazingly rich national collection of historic Scottish art. This includes masterpieces by Henry Raeburn, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Scottish Colourists as well as giving direct access to the rest of the SNG's international collection.

Paisley Museum Reimagined has been supported with £2 million in investment towards the £42 million project. Paisley Museum is being transformed to bring to life the stories of its people, Pattern and much more. The space is being reconfigures to ensure it is accessible to all. It will making an important contribution towards the regeneration of Paisley's High Street and town centre.

Activity going forward

We will continue to invest in and support Scotland's cultural and heritage infrastructure. Key areas of investment include:

• Storage facilities for Scotland's National Collections;
• Estates conservation for Historic Environment Scotland's Properties in Care;
• Repairs and improvements for the National Collections estate and Historic Environment Scotland's visitor facilities; and
• Refurbishment programme for Visit Scotland's iCentre estate and digital investment for 'Scotland Is Now'.