The Green and the seen/unseen: strategies for reimagining urban heritage in Glasgow Green

Abstract

This paper explores the dynamic and multifaceted heritage of Glasgow Green, the oldest urban park in Scotland. Recognising the historical and contemporary significance of public tourism spaces, this research examines the interplay between authorised and marginalised heritage narratives within the park. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, incorporating archival research, practice-as-research, and community interviews. This methodological bricolage illuminates the plurality of stories within Glasgow Green, highlighting the importance of both recognised and overlooked histories. Drawing on key themes – such as access, ownership, spatial rules and behaviours, and marginalised or hidden narratives – this study develops and proposes a new framework: the Seen/Unseen. The Seen/Unseen framework is conceptualised as a tool for researching and representing the heritage of public parks. Within this framework, the diverse histories of Glasgow Green are brought together, offering a call for sustained public engagement and providing a tool to enhance the inclusion of marginalised voices in heritage tourism.