| The People's Story Museum | |
| Coordinates: | 55.9515°N -3.1799°W |
| Established: | 1989 |
| Location: | Canongate Tolbooth, Royal Mile, Edinburgh |
The People's Story Museum is located in the historic Canongate Tolbooth, and features collections that narrate the story of the working-class people of Edinburgh from the late 18th century to the present day.[1] [2] The museum achieves this through the use of oral history, reminiscence, and written sources.[3]
The museum houses Britain's largest collection of early reform flags and banners, totaling 144 in all. These banners encompass various themes, including support for political reform, trade unions, and the anti-apartheid movement.[4] Additionally, the museum features waxworks that vividly illustrate the written histories of the people of Edinburgh.
There are three galleries and a film screening room in the museum. The first gallery looks at life in tenement houses in the 18th century. The second gallery showcases numerous banners from the museum's collection and recounts the stories of Edinburgh citizens in the 20th century, through waxworks and written histories. The final galleries depict Edinburgh in the mid- to late-20th century.
The film in the screening room shows personal stories of four Edinburgh citizens who grew up in the city and worked in the printing and building trades, in a co-op store, and as a servant.[5]