Victorian london museums

4 min read

Places to Explore

Explore Britain’s Victorian past, from the home of the world’s greatest detective to an ornate disused sewage station

1 SHERLOCK HOLMES MUSEUM

Located at 221B Baker Street, the address of the fictional detective, the Sherlock Holmes Museum now serves as a memorial to the supreme sleuth. Opening in 1990, the museum meticulously recreates Sherlock Holmes’ apartment and rooms, filling them with a wealth of Victorian knickknacks, curios and items from his various adventures.

There can also be found wax statues portraying some of the most famous characters from the Doyle stories, including of course Holmes and Watson but also others such as Inspector Lestrade and the villainous Professor Moriarty. The Museum’s shop houses what it claims to be the largest collection of Sherlock Holmes merchandise in the world.

Visiting Sherlockians would also do well to drop by the pub named after the detective on Northumberland Street. Upstairs can be found another replica of the 221B Baker Street f lat with an interesting history of its own, originally having been designed for the Festival of Britain in 1951.

Open Monday to Sunday, 9:30am-6pm, last entry 5.30pm. Adult tickets £16. Children & concessions discounts available.

The exterior of the Sherlock Holmes Museum located at the world famous 221B Baker Street

The exquisite replica of Sherlock Holmes’ famous flat inside the museum

2 CHARLES DICKENS MUSEUM

Located at 48 Doughty Street, the house where Dickens authored a number of his earlier works (including Oliver Twist), the Charles Dickens Museum contains a veritable treasure trove of artefacts related to the life of the famous author. The building was Dickens’ London home and he lived there from 1837 to 1839. According to English Heritage, Dickens would have paid the not insubstantial sum (for the time) of £80 a year in rent.

The museum opened in 1925 and is also the site of a blue plaque in the author’s honour. Alongside their permanent exhibits the museum hosts frequently changing exhibitions. Currently they are showcasing items exploring the friendship between Dickens and fellow author Wilkie Collins. Events such as guided evening tours and virtual talks are held on a regular basis.

Items within the museum’s collections include the original cover illustration for Dickens’ unfinished novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood (composed by Wilkie Collins’ brother Charles), an incomplete draft of Tom Tiddler’s Ground, and even Charles Dickens’ own personal commode. .

The exterior of the Charles Dickens Museum at 48 Doughty Street, where he wrote *Oliver Twist*

A copy of *A Christmas Carol* among the museum’s collections

Open Wednesday to Sunday 10am-5pm, last entry 4pm. Adult tickets cost £12.50 with discounts available for children and concessions.

3 THE VIC

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All About History Magazine

21 March 2024

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