History enthusiasts and literary fans are in for a treat as a rare collection of Charles Dickens artefacts will be unveiled at the Charles Dickens Museum in Bloomsbury, London, per bbc.com. The exhibition, marking the museum’s centennial, will run from February to June 2025, celebrating the rich legacy of the 19th-century literary giant.
The centerpiece of the exhibit is a newly displayed chalk and pastel sketch of Dickens, created during his time at the museum’s location—his first family home on Doughty Street. Dickens lived here from 1837 to 1839, penning timeless works such as The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby.
Among the treasures is an extraordinary copy of David Copperfield, carried to Antarctica by Captain Scott’s ill-fated Terra Nova expedition (1910-1912). This blubber-stained volume, read by stranded explorers for 60 nights in an ice cave, bears soot-blackened fingerprints—a poignant testament to human endurance and the universal comfort of literature.
The exhibition also showcases works from Dickens’s favoured illustrators, including Hablot Knight Browne and George Cruikshank, along with preliminary sketches for the debut of A Christmas Carol. Visitors can marvel at personal effects, rare portraits and photographs that illuminate Dickens’s vibrant life and career.
Cindy Sughrue, director of the Charles Dickens Museum, highlighted the exhibition’s significance.
“This collection, gathered over a century, reflects Dickens’s enduring influence and the museum’s role in preserving his legacy,” she stated.
Located in the heart of London, the museum at Doughty Street stands as the only surviving residence of Dickens in the city. Its preservation is a victory for literary heritage, escaping demolition a century ago to become a sanctuary for Dickens enthusiasts worldwide.
Titled “Dickens in Doughty Street: 100 Years of the Charles Dickens Museum,” the exhibition opens on February 5, 2025. Visitors are invited to explore the life and works of a man whose stories continue to resonate across generations.
- Featured image: A chalk and pastel sketch of Dickens at the time when he was living in Doughty Street/Charles Dickens Museum
