March on the People’s Museum!

Curators thank protesters for donations

Edinburgh’s People’s Story Museum has thanked Monday night’s activists for a ‘flurry’ of donations. Following curators’ calls for placards, banners and photos relating to the city’s recent marches, the Museum has received more than 30 offers for donations and loans including films, homemade placards and personal testimonies.

The items will be kept in the care of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Museum Collection, which features important historical artefacts relating to Edinburgh people coming together to campaign, protest, celebrate and change their city.

Visitors to the People’s Story Museum in the Canongate can discover a collection of campaign materials ranging from the early 20th Century Suffrage March in Edinburgh to a display of LGBT materials as part of the ‘Proud City’ exhibition, which has an extended run to coincide with LGBT History Month.

Gillian Findlay, the Council’s Curatorial and Engagement Manager, said: “We’ve been utterly delighted with the sheer number of donations offered and we’d like to thank everyone who has contributed. The city’s protesters have been eager to share their stories and we really welcome the response.

“This is just the start of the story and we hope to place many of the pledged items on display. Edinburgh people have always has been brave when it comes to marching and protesting for what they believe in. Protesting is part of our shared history and recent events prove this is just as much the case today as it has been over the centuries.”

A volunteer has been appointed to coordinate the donations, loans and stories for a display and possible event with the working title, ‘In Scotland We Build Bridges’.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Edinburgh’s Culture Convener, added: “Our museum collection includes protest material of national and international significance. There are banners in support of political reform, trade unions and the anti-apartheid movement. No matter what your political stance, protests of this scale will always have historical significance. In years to come, your items might be considered a fascinating part of the people of Edinburgh’s protest history.”

A special donations display will be set up later in the month.

The Museum requests interested parties to get in touch with g.findlay@edinburgh.gov.uk