Collection Spotlight: Charles Dickens Museum

The Charles Dickens Museum holds one of the most important collections of Dickens ephemera in the world

The Museum is based at 48 Doughty Street in Dickens’s only surviving London home. Dickens described the terraced Georgian dwelling as 'my house in town' and resided here from 1837 until 1839.

Two of his daughters were born here, his sister-in-law Mary died aged 17 in an upstairs bedroom and some of his best-loved novels were written here, including Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. It was also here that he achieved lasting celebrity and universal recognition as one of the world’s greatest storytellers.

It was opened to the public in 1925, having been saved from demolition by the Dickens Fellowship and the museum was transformed and expanded in 2012.

The collection ranges from portraits of the author and his family by well-known Victorian artists such as Frith to manuscripts, personal items, memorabilia and book illustrations. 

See all images from the Charles Dickens Museum