A temporarily closed museum in Edinburgh is due to reopen next week following several requests from residents.
The People’s Story Museum will reopen to the public on Monday, December 2nd, after the City Council announced that it would resume its regular seven-day schedule.
The Council intended to keep the museum closed during the winter due to a staff shortage and funding issues.
But the city’s campaigners criticised the closure and requested it be opened again.
Culture and Communities Convener Councillor Val Walker said: “After initially proposing a temporary winter closure for the museum, we listened closely to the community’s passionate feedback, and I’m delighted to announce that we will reopen the museum on Monday 2 December”.
The councillor also stated: “It’s a special museum where all exhibits are inspired by the voices of Edinburgh’s own people, drawn from oral histories and written accounts to share authentic stories. The collections showcase this with items such as Friendly Society regalia, banners, and materials representing Edinburgh’s diverse communities.”
The museum, located on the Royal Mile, was temporarily shut in August as part of efforts to save money.
There were not enough staff members to open the museum safely, leading to closures happening in an “unplanned way.”
Officers reacted unexpectedly by closing the museum despite councillors rejecting the proposal.
The museum offers an insight into the lives of Edinburgh’s working-class people from the 18th to the late 20th century. Many displays and exhibitions inside the tourist attraction reveal part of the city’s history.
Campaign groups expressed that the museum, which opened in 1984, was a vital part of the city’s social fabric and was dedicated to documenting the lives of its working people.
Jim Slaven, a community activist and writer, described the Council’s decision to close the museum as “disgraceful.” He also stated that the museum’s reopening is “only a first step” and that “for the museum to have a successful future it must be in the Tolbooth (and) it must be curated properly, cared for & invested in.”
Edinburgh Council is developing new ways to enhance the visitor experience at all the city’s museums. The Council is also identifying funding and resources to facilitate the reopening of The People’s Story Museum.
Councillor Walker said that the Council “look forward to welcoming visitors back through the museum’s doors.”
