People's Story Museum, Edinburgh

People's Story Museum, Edinburgh

Learning about Scotland’s royalty and nobility is all very interesting, but sometimes you may wonder – what about the commoners, how did they live? The answer can be found at the People’s Story Museum.

Housed in Canongate Tolbooth, built in 1591 and once a customs house and jail, this museum tells the history of Edinburgh, as seen through the eyes of those who lived and worked here, from the 18th century to the present.

A written and oral presentation, backed up with photographs, drawings and artefacts, will take you through the day-to-day lives of regular folk, both at work and at home. You will visit beautifully recreated replicas of a bookbinder’s shop, a pub, a prison cell, a tea-room and a war-time kitchen, all filled with copies of the original objects once used by ordinary people.

In the Edinburgh Life section you will see how communities helped each other; how they protested against injustice and the meetings and rallies they held. Working in Edinburgh showcases how books, beer and cakes were made in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The Leith Collection focuses on work in the shipyards, how ships were built, repaired and unloaded in the docks. The Newhaven Collection covers working and day-to-day life in a small fishing community, while At Home in Edinburgh displays household items, such as furniture, crockery, cutlery, domestic appliances, record players and toys.

This fascinating museum is very much kids-friendly too, as it offers a glimpse into life without mobile phones or MP4 players! The museum shop sells books and gift items related to the objects on display.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Edinburgh. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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People's Story Museum on Map

Sight Name: People's Story Museum
Sight Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (See walking tours in Edinburgh)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Edinburgh, Scotland

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Royal Mile Walking Tour

Royal Mile Walking Tour

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
New Town Walking Tour

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One of the prominent landmarks in the New Town is...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Literary Landmarks Tour

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For centuries, Edinburgh has been home to numerous writers. The likes of Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson, and JK Rowling, just to name a few, have given pride to this city. Fortunately, the tradition doesn't seem to die out any time soon, as Edinburgh keeps producing more and more authors and literary heroes in whose footsteps people still wish to tread.

Naturally, there is a wealth...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
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Harry Potter Trail

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Edinburgh Introduction Walking Tour

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Comfortably yet tightly packed on the hilly terrain, Edinburgh – the Scottish capital since at least the 15th century, and the seat of the Scottish Parliament since 1999 – is a picturesque city renowned for its unique architecture of the medieval Old Town and elegant Georgian New Town, currently both listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The earliest known human habitation in the area dates...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles

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