The world is full of vestiges of human history that are rich with tradition, legacy, and inspiration for the generations that follow. Heritage treasures are more than just old pieces of the past, they represent our roots in the world and remind us that we all came from somewhere and that our ancient history is connected at every step of the way.
Heritage Treasures Day celebrates these artifacts by raising awareness of them, promoting preservation, and educating us about these important items and what they say about us as human beings.
History of Heritage Treasures Day
Heritage Treasures Day was established by the Heritage Lottery Fund in the UK and has been working to preserve important parts of human history since 1994.
Since their creation they have donated close to £8 Billion to support over 40,000 projects, every penny of it generated through the National Lottery. The organization has multiple funding programs, each providing different amounts of funding for different projects.
Sharing Heritage is for local heritage sites ranging from personal memories to the conservation of wildlife. Their “Our Heritage program” provides grants ranging from £10,000 to £100,000 and is used for the preservation of archaeological sites, rare wildlife, and museum collections.
Heritage Grants, on the other hand, are for large preservation projects of any kind and is one of the sources for preservation and restoration work on Stonehenge.
Heritage Treasures Day celebrates the efforts of this organization and raises awareness about the importance of protecting and preserving our shared history throughout the world.
Their projects cover a large gamut of preservation efforts, including tracing heritage, the history of parks, and some of the most important pieces of architecture in the United Kingdom.
How to Celebrate Heritage Treasures Day
One of the best ways to celebrate Heritage Treasures Day is to head out into the world and explore some of those places and artifacts that stand as a testament to human history.
Local museums and buildings can hold important pieces of what helped build the community, while parks and wildlife can help to preserve pieces of the natural world that existed before humans set foot there.
In addition, you should keep your eyes open for any pieces of local history that you feel are deserving of preservation, and contact the Heritage Lottery Fund about getting help preserving them.
If you aren’t in the UK then perhaps seek your own local heritage society to seek help preserving important parts of local history.
