Dickens House Museum

Charles Dickens (1812-70) lived at number 48 Doughty Street from April 1837 to December 1839 not a long period, but an important one, because it was here that he really secured his reputation.

While at Doughty Street, Dickens finished Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist, wrote Nicholas Nickleby and began Barnaby Rudge.

You can see the study in which the young writer created such immortal characters as Fagin, Bill Sikes, The Artful Dodger, and the Squeers and Crummles families. You can also see the carefully reconstructed drawing room in which the family received it's guests and the bedroom where Mary Hogarth died - the inspiration behind the death scene of Little Nell in The Old Curiosity Shop.

Visitors to the house can see portions of Dicken's manuscripts, letters, preliminary drawings by his illustrators, first editions of his books, including the original paper wrapped parts, the desk he used for public readings of his works and many other exhibits, including furniture, pictures, books and memorabilia.

The Dickens House shop offers a wide range of books of Dicken's work including hardbacks, paperbacks, rare, antique, children's, simplified and abridged for students and biographical studies. There is a good selection of posters and prints and a wide range of souvenirs.

Current temporary exhibition, throughout 2007, 'Ignorance and Want: the Social Conscience of Charles Dickens', tells the story of Dickens's social conscience through his traumatic childhood experiences and his novels Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby, both written at the Museum.

Audioguide and guide book available.