The People's Story Museum is a museum housed in the historic Canongate Tolbooth

Canongate Tolbooth

Canongate Tolbooth is a historical landmark of the Old Town section of Edinburgh, Scotland . Built in 1591, it served as a tolbooth or toll-collecting gate for those entering Edinburgh from the lower end of what is now known as the Royal Mile. It originally served both as toll collection point and...

, the collections of which tell the story of the people of Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

 from the late 18th century to the present day. This is done through use of oral history, reminiscence and written sources.

Collections

The museum houses Britain's largest collection of early reform flags and banners: 144 in all. These include banners in support of political reform, trade unions and the anti-apartheid movement. The museums also houses waxworks and which illustrate the written histories of Edinburgh people.

Galleries

There are three galleries and a film screening room in the museum. The first gallery looks at life in tenemant houses in the 18th century. The second gallery houses many banners from the museum's collection and tells the stories of Edinburgh citizens in the 20th century, through waxworks and written histories. The final galleries describe 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.

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