A display at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Alloway
Despite his short life Burns left a huge catalogue of poetry and songs that have been pored over, enjoyed and spoken aloud for over 200 years. His timeless words have echoed throughout the generations, inspiring people from every walk of life.
Although he left a great legacy, Burns' start in life was a humble one. He was born the son of poor tenant farmers and was the eldest of seven children. Even with the family's money struggles, his father recognised the importance of education and ensured that, alongside working on the family farm, his children were given the opportunity to read and learn.
There were signs of Robert's exceptional writing talent from an early age - at 15 he penned his first love poems - though it was not until 1786 at the age of 27 that he rose to fame with the publication of his first collection of poetry, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. This masterful collection made a huge impression on Edinburgh's literary elite, and propelled Burns to celebrity status.
In his personal life, Burns dedicated hundreds of lines of verse to the fairer sex and went on to father 12 children, nine with his wife Jean Armour. He was also a passionately proud Scot - he even spent many years collecting and preserving traditional Scottish songs for the future.
Burns wrote Auld Lang Syne (and other works) at Ellisland Farm near Dumfries, died at Burns House in Dumfries and his mausoleum and final resting place is in Saint Michael’s Cemetery in Dumfries. These are all places you can visit today.
For all his fame, Burns never forgot his roots. His love for farming stayed with him throughout his life and his writing often dealt with issues affecting the poorer classes, notably highlighting the need for greater social equality. You'll see all of these influences captured in his dazzling collections of poetry and song - his lasting legacy to the world.