Gen Z sees historic places as a refuge from a hyper-connected world

Historic Houses was founded in 1973, to champion and represent the UK’s world-famous independent historic houses, castles, and gardens. Our places are hubs of creativity, culture, commerce, and community across many of the most rural parts of the UK, and act as lynchpins of the UK’s thriving tourism and creative industries sectors.

Many Historic Houses member places are interested in connecting with, and growing their engagement with, a younger audience. In order to help them do so, Historic Houses’ Director of Policy, Sarah Roller, and Dr Craig Thomas, from Historic Houses’ Learning Advisory Panel, spoke to young people across the UK, running focus groups at a selection of universities alongside an open-access online survey, about their engagement with heritage, and in particular, historic houses. The report, based on a survey and conversations with young people, reveals a complex landscape of challenges for the heritage sector in attracting a new generation of visitors.

Sarah Roller & Dr. Craig Thomas

Examining key themes related to young people and heritage sites including pricing, transport, social media engagement, and the use of collections, this research challenges preconceptions we might have about how younger people prefer to interact with heritage and consume history.

The report shows the biggest barriers to Gen Z accessing heritage sites are transport and cost, as well as highlighting a real emphasis on Gen Z’s desire to disconnect and have a technology-free interaction with heritage sites.

Participants overwhelmingly showed a genuine interest in heritage and history, with a clear appetite to visit heritage sites and to be part of broader national conversations about history, heritage and the past.

Key take-aways include:

• 99% of respondents said they were interested in visiting heritage sites.
• The top barrier to accessing heritage sites is getting there (and associated costs), with 73% identifying this as a factor.
• Many also found high entry fees a major barrier with 58% citing this as their reason for not visiting.
• 47% are willing to pay up to £10 for entry, with over a quarter at 27% willing to pay up to £15.
• An overwhelming majority of participants said they disliked digital interpretation, citing a desire to turn off from technology whilst visiting heritage sites.

Sarah Roller, Director of Policy & Public Affairs at Historic Houses said: “This is the next generation, and if we are to secure the longevity and prosperity of heritage, they need to be invested in, and appreciate, Historic Houses places too. Gen Z want value for money, a well thought through experience, engaging interpretation and the opportunity to learn. They have high standards, and heritage sites must see this as an opportunity for innovation and creativity.”