Fife museum has first class degree in local knowledge

Visitors to the museum of Scotland’s oldest University will receive an education in the local area as part of a new partnership with VisitScotland.

The Museum of the University of St Andrews (MUSA), displaying treasures from a collection of over 115,000 artefacts, has become part of an impressive network of VisitScotland Information Partners (VIPs) committed to providing local information to visitors.

Opened in October 2008, MUSA was the first museum to exhibit collections in a thematic style to tell the story of a university. Across four galleries, visitors are taken from the University’s establishment in 1413 right through to present day. The first floor offers a Learning Loft and a viewing terrace with panoramic views over St Andrews Bay.

Offering a warm and friendly welcome, the museum’s staff are equipped with a wealth of local knowledge. It therefore made perfect sense for the attraction to get involved with VisitScotland’s exciting approach to information provision. The new official accreditation will add value to the service they offer and make it easier than ever before for visitors to connect with local businesses.

Launched in May 2016, the VIP programme ties in with the national tourism organisation’s global Spirit of Scotland campaign and harnesses the local knowledge, warmth and enthusiasm of partners across the country to help visitors receive the warmest of welcomes and make the most of their trip to Scotland.

It has been very popular in Fife with accommodation providers, visitor attractions and social enterprises all joining up to do their bit to ensure visitors receive first-class information about the local region and Scotland as a whole. MUSA is joined by 67 other businesses in the region such as the Scottish Deer Centre in Cupar and Sandford Country Cottages in Newport on Tay.

Catherine Cruickshank, Operations Officer at MUSA, said: “We are delighted to be a VisitScotland Information Partner. The team are committed to providing visitors with the best experience possible so using our local knowledge to help them make the most of their trip to the area made perfect sense. VisitScotland’s help and support is greatly appreciated and this partnership is an excellent example of us working well together”

Manuela Calchini, Regional Director for VisitScotland, said: “It is fantastic to see MUSA among the many businesses across Fife and Scotland who have joined the VIP programme. Not only is it a fascinating and exciting visitor attraction, but also a place with friendly staff offering a high standard of local knowledge.

“The VIP programme celebrates and supports tourism providers as they act as local ambassadors and help provide information, assistance and advice on all there is to see and do here. This follows a growing trend among consumers to use online resources to plan their trips and we now have partners throughout the country providing high quality information and advice to visitors with whom they interact.”

The programme forms part of VisitScotland’s focus on information which also includes a global online community to allow Scots and those who love Scotland to bring alive the streets, characters and landscapes of our country.

The scheme is open to all Quality Assured businesses, as well as community groups, local authority-operated library services and social enterprises. VisitScotland provides the partner sites with official signage and collateral, promotional material and information resources to make sure visitors receive an excellent standard of information about the area and the rest of Scotland. For more information, visit www.visitscotland.org.

To find out more about MUSA, visit www.st-andrews.ac.uk/musa 

To find out more about the VisitScotland online community, visit: www.visitscotland.com/community 

ENDS