The People's Story Museum

The People's Story Museum will be closed Tuesday 24th December - Friday 3rd January (inclusive), with the exception of Saturday 28th December and Monday 30th December. The venue will be open 10am-5pm (last entry at 4:30pm) on these two dates.

We would like to wish all our visitors a happy holiday period and we look forward to seeing you in 2025.

The People's Story gives an unique insight in to Edinburgh's working class people from the 18th century to the late 20th century. The displays include tableaux, original objects, images and personal stories to reveal their fascinating history of the city.

The collection focuses on the history, culture, crafts and trades, and the people of Edinburgh but also as a place to explore more contemporary issues, events and opinions.

What makes the museum stand out is that all of the displays are based around the words of Edinburgh’s people, taken from oral history reminiscences and written sources to tell real stories. The collections reflect this with objects ranging from Friendly Society regalia, banners and material relating to Edinburgh’s diverse communities.

Details

Opening times
Opening times
Open Daily 10am-5pm. Last Admission 4:30pm
- Monday: 10 am - 5 pm
- Tuesday: 10 am - 5 pm
- Wednesday: 10 am - 5 pm
- Thursday: 10 am - 5 pm
- Friday: 10 am - 5 pm
- Saturday: 10 am - 5 pm
- Sunday: 10 am - 5 pm
How to get here

How to get here

On foot

Walk down the Royal Mile towards Holyrood Palace. Pass New Street on your left and you’ll find The People’s Story on the left hand side of the road, opposite the Museum of Edinburgh. The clock overhanging the pavement above your head can be seen as you walk down the street.

By bike

From Princes Street area turn on to and cycle down Waverley Bridge and then left at the mini roundabout onto Market Street. Cycle along Market Street/East Market Street and turn right into New Street. From New Street turn left onto the Royal Mile and The People’s Story is on the left hand side of the road opposite the Museum of Edinburgh. There are no direct bike parking facilities, but nearby racks can be found here: https://www.openstreetmap.org/search?query=Museum%20of%20Edinburgh#map=18/55.95120/-3.17765&layers=C (little blue squares).

By train

Exit Waverley Station and turn left onto Waverley Bridge. Cross the roundabout and go up Cockburn Street. At the top of Cockburn Street, turn left, cross over North Bridge and continue down the High Street. The People's Story Museum is on the left hand side of road as you head towards Holyrood Palace, and is directly opposite the Museum of Edinburgh.

By bus/tram

The Lothian bus No. 35 stops by the Museum of Edinburgh (Heriot-Watt University-bound) and by the People's Story Museum (Ocean Terminal-bound). It is opposite the People's Story Museum. There are lots of buses going down North Bridge which cross the Royal Mile.

Parking facilities

The People’s Story does not have its own parking facilities. You can find ‘Pay and Display’ on-street parking nearby.
Contact the venue

Contact the venue

+44 (0) 131 529 4057 | museumsandgalleries@edinburgh.gov.uk | People’s Story, 163 Canongate, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH8 8BN
Facilities and access
Facilities and access
Level access

The main entrance has level access. The ramp is permanent.

There is level access from the main entrance to:
- Ground floor exhibition space
- Visitor reception
- Ground floor accessible toilet
- First floor
Access with steps

There are steps from the main entrance to second floor, exhibition space and third floor video room.

Hearing

We have a hearing loop in the video room on the 3rd floor.

Visual

We have information in large print. Some parts of the venue have low lighting.

General

There is a public toilet for disabled visitors.

Read our full accessibility guide
Groups

Groups

Due to the number of requests for group visits, please complete the group visit booking form and return to us as far in advance of proposed visit as possible. This enables us to determine if we can accommodate group on preferred date(s).

Contact the team now at museumsandgalleries.visitorservices@edinburgh.gov.uk
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Highlights What's on

Collection highlights include:

Banners for street protests, social, political reform movements and trade unions. There are a number of significant objects relating to Edinburgh trades including a Lockit Buik and documents from the guilds. Collections relating to crime and punishment in the 18th and 19th century are also well represented.

The museum displays have a vintage feel, re-creating scenes of daily life, from work, home and leisure. You can see displays including a bookbinder’s workshop, wartime kitchen, tea room and jail cell.The People’s Story explores the lives of Edinburgh’s people from the late 18th century to present times. Housed in the Canongate Tollbooth, a Royal Mile landmark built in 1591, the building itself had numerous incarnations including conducting burgh affairs, collecting taxes and as a jail.