Charles Dickens Museum, Drinks Reception

A delightful museum featuring items from Charles Dickens life set in one of the houses where he and his wife lived, which has been lovingly restored and decorated as it would have been when Dickens lived here. The informative placards provided a wealth of information and the volunteer staff enthusiastically provides additional details and answers questions.

Very educational (when aren't museums?) content found here about Dickens and Catherine. Paired with an audio guide, one for families, and a general one, accessible via QR codes on a website. I came here for my birthday, there is a generous discount for blue light card holders. What I learnt was that Dickens was an animal fan, and had ravens called Grip, hedgehogs were pets in Victorian times. His sister-in-law took suddenly ill one day and died (more information in the Mary Hogarth Room). Dickens lived here when he was 25. The attic has a nursery where the children were, it also has a former servants room. Some bars from Marshalsea Prison, and windows from Dickens' houses. I would recommend spending about an hour or longer here, to see everything. There is also a cafe and a gift shop.

After nearly 35 years I finally got here, especially as when working on the area, I used to direct people to it ( the change from John St to Doughty St confuses many). Many artifacts and the refurb in 2012 has returned the house to an approximation of the building Dickens knew. The house is set over 4 floors plus basement, do you have to be good with stairs. Helpful guides and a must visit to see the writing desk he sat at, returned from his last house at Gads Hill. Overall, a good visit, where you can look into mirrors used by Dickens to practice his characters in public readings. This time of the year the house is dressed for Christmas, so again a more intimate atmosphere.