Zig-Zag: The Paths of Robert Burns

National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge, Edinburgh
Free

A unique preview for National Library of Scotland visitors of the forthcoming National Burns Collection touring exhibition, which is due to visit Aberdeen, Dumfries and Glasgow in 2009 as part of Homecoming Scotland.

Bringing together some of the 36,000 objects from Scotland’s national collections about Robert Burns, this major touring exhibition celebrates the 250th anniversary of the birth of our national bard. Pictures, sound and the poet’s own words combine to show how Burns consciously created his own myth, in particular through the famous autobiographical letter of 1787. In it Burns explored the course of his life until that time – its influences, joys and changes of fortune which led him to state that “…keen Sensibility and riotous Passions may still make him zig-zag in his future path of life.” The exhibition is part of the Homecoming Scotland 2009 celebrations which mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Burns and celebrate some of Scotland’s great contributions to the world: Burns himself, whisky, golf, great Scottish innovations and our rich culture and heritage.