Nature, beauty and heritage for everyone
The National Trust for Scotland is the charity that cares for, shares and speaks up for Scotland’s magnificent heritage. We’re Scotland’s largest membership organisation and we’re independent from government.
Since 1931, we’ve pioneered public access to and shared ownership of some of the most magnificent buildings, collections and landscapes in Scotland. We care for ancient houses, battlefields, castles, mills, gardens, coastlines, islands and mountain ranges, as well as the plants, animals and birds that live there. Without our involvement, many of these places and things would have been lost forever to the passage of time, development and the elements.
Caring for the things that matter
We believe in protecting Scotland’s nature, beauty and heritage, and sharing our amazing places with everyone. A shared heritage is the cornerstone of any strong culture. Scotland is blessed with a wealth of stories, values, objects and landscapes that, over time, have been woven together to unite communities, forge traditions and nurture our unique national spirit.
Simply put, our work keeps this heritage safe. Every day, our members, volunteers and staff help us to look after an astonishing variety of things.
- We’re the proud guardians of over 300,000 precious artefacts, so they’ll still be here to inspire many generations to come.
- We look after 46 Munros, helping to protect rare species like ptarmigan and golden eagles, while also providing safe and sustainable access.
- We’re the custodians of 38 gardens, 27 castles and houses, and 8 National Nature Reserves.
- We care for miles and miles of coastline – home to over 1 million seabirds!
- We conserve 76,000 hectares of countryside, from the most northerly island in Shetland to the Solway coast.