A historic 18th century cottage in Alloway, Ayrshire, which was the birthplace of Scottish poet Robert Burns, has been reopened by First Minister Alex Salmond, following a £1m refurbishment.

The eight-week revamp of the property will form part of a wider £21m scheme led by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) to transform the Burns National Heritage Park into the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, which is due for completion in September 2010. New audio-visual displays have been installed at the cottage to provide visitors with a chance to explore Burns' life as part of the revamp, which has also included repainted interiors, a re-thatched roof and some necessary repairs.

NTS chief executive Kate Mavor said: "The cottage where Burns was born is one of Scotland's iconic heritage sites, and the Trust is privileged to have it in its care. Our team of experts in Alloway has restored it in a highly imaginative way to enhance visitors' knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of Burns and his early life." Salmond added: "The re-opening of Burns' Cottage and the opening of the Education Pavilion marks an important step forward in the Robert Burns Museum Project, which aims to celebrate the life and work of Scotland's globally recognised cultural icon."

The Education Pavilion, which is housed within the former Burns Museum and boasts three education spaces, is the first facility in Scotland to have Burns experts on site. The area around the Burns Cottage has also undergone landscape work. A further £2.1m has been pledged towards the project by the First Minister to take the Scottish Government's total investment up to £7.6m, while the Heritage Lottery Fund, Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire and South Ayrshire Council have also contributed funding.