Charles Dickens Museum in Maevatanana

You dont have to know too much about Charles Dickens. I only know about his timeless classic A Christmas Carol, but thats practically it.Dont let the size of this museum fool you. Although it is a bit pricey to get in there, its well worth a visit. Especially now coming up to Christmas.One thing I wasnt aware of, is how much he was interested in ghosts and the supernatural he truly was. Although he was sceptical about it, he was still fascinated by the subject. I myself have studied this subject for many years, but I mostly look at it as a hobby.Contrary to popular belief A Christmas Carol wasnt the only story Dickens wrote where it involves Ghosts and the supernatural. There is quite a few more stories he wrote involving this subject.

This was a great choice to visit. It’s a boutique museum and house to tour. They have over 100,000 items associated with Charles Dickens. He actually lived in the house early in his life. The staff was SO helpful and willing to share their knowledge. We love getting to see and actually walk in the footsteps of history, that happens here!

There is so much to see here and its really interesting history and beautiful too. It was decorated really nicely for Christmas.

Interesting Museum. Four floors plus a basement. Mr Dickens lived there for a couple of years in the late 1830s. Several portraits of the famous author. Gift shop and cafe, although didnt buy anything there.

Interesting museum if youre a Dickens fan. Nothing interactive for children though.

Took a chance and turned up on the day. Unfortunately I shared my visit with a school party. Felt a bit rushed and claustrophobic so maybe Ill book ahead next time. What I did see was quite interesting though.

Wonderful visit. The house itself is interesting to walk around but the details and information make Dickens himself so much more than a name. Thoroughly enjoyed my time here.

Interesting place to see. One of Charles Dickens houses: the desk he wrote all this masterpieces and the clock that inspired so many of this works.

Recommend. Spent a lovely 1.5hrs here and learnt a little bit more about the man himself in his early years. 4 stars as the cafe let it down. Not enough of a food selection to choose from unless you like scones and cookies for your elevenses.

An afternoon well spent. Its a trip back in time to a Dickensian world where you are surrounded by genius in a place where genius was formed. Well worth a visit.

Wonderful experience! The museum brings you back in time and shows you how life must have looked like in those days. The museum also has a lovely cosy café where you can enjoy some nice refreshments. Definitely worth a visit! We enjoyed it very much!

A home and a Museum. One is struck by the ordinariness of this home occupied by Dickens for two years during his early career. However, at the time this home would have been considered very comfortable. Best to go during quiet weekdays as the home easily feels crowded with even just a dozen people in it.

Absolutely delightful visit to this museum today (October 2021). The house is a joy to experience and the immensely knowledgeable guide on duty was informative without being intrusive. A fantastic experience. Triciax

An excellent museum dedicated to my favourite author. I loved it.

Loved this museum! I brought headphones so I could listen to the audio narration on my phone during my visit. There is free Wifi & also a lovely café. Very glad I included this museum in my London itinerary!

I’m a massive Dickens fan, so slightly biased here. But this is one of the best museum experiences I’ve had. Every single member of staff knew their stuff and all went above and beyond to help navigate me and give me little insights into the life Dicken’s may have had here. And how beautifully kept it was.Lovely house, lovely staff, lovely area!

This museum is totally worth visiting! I just read on BBC that never seen before letters written by Charles Dickens will be displayed from this week. This gives me such a joy and will be visiting again soon!

On Wednesday 24th August 2022, My birthday, My Beautiful Wife and I set off for London in order to make a day of it in the greatest city in the world!! The Dickens House Museum (I prefer its old name as opposed to the obvious newer onebeing our first port of call on our busy itinerary and also because our annual pilgrimage has been postponed for the last few years with the awful pandemic stopping everything in its callous tracks. It was indeed time to touch base with the master of the pen Mr Charles Dickens of Doughty Street and so thanks to the excellent new Crossrail taking us up from Woolwich in 20 minutes and depositing us at Farringdon Station, we walked to our literary destination with an excited spring in our respective steps. The Museum was welcoming in itself with the door open and people milling around inside so we walked through to refresh ourselves in the cafe. Thereby encountering the first and only negative for me,.. Unfortunately since our last visit in 2018, the prices remain extortionate and extremely off-putting. Charging £4:50 for a piece (it cannot be called a slice as it is far from that!of fruit cake or £3:50 for a scone is not right in my opinion and so I opted for a pot of tea that at £1:95 for two small cups I thought was reasonable and needed a drink after traveling. Back to the many positives then...We then made our way into the museum itself and was met by a lovely smiling charming lady sat outside the dining room who shared her passionate knowledge about Dickens with us and made us feel very welcome and comfortable. We then slowly walked through the house observing the wonderful treasures on show from the beautiful paintings hanging throughout (I particularly enjoyed those in the Morning roomand historical furniture to the incredible manuscripts and writings encased for our perusal. The museum has certainly improved since my last visit with little touches here and there that make the visitor believe that Dickens himself will appear anytime soon like fruit in the bowls downstairs and the table laid nicely in the dining room where Charles and Catherine entertained their many interesting friends. In the drawing room, the actual red leather chair he sat in is positioned in the corner and an old piano also adds to the overall splendor of the room amongst other things. I enjoyed a brilliant reading that was playing on repeat by Miriam Margoyles being Mrs Gamp and reading some select passages from her amazing dialogue in Martin Chuzzlewit and they made me smile as they always do. One of Dickens greatest literary creations was that remarkable comic character and her imaginary friend Mrs Harris. The Study boasts the actual desk that this giant of literature sat at in his home in Gads Hill and where he wrote such classics as Great Expectations and the complex and last completed novel Our Mutual Friend and that I found strangely moving and connected to 🤔 a very important addition to the experience of the house. Upstairs further to see the bedrooms and it feels almost like you are intruding when walking into that private and sacred space where two married people share their most intimate secrets of both the flesh and mind. But a respectful appreciation counters any doubts one may have and the feeling of privilege in being able to access such a pleasant room in the first place. There are interesting items to be seen if you can manage the last flight of stairs in this incredible house and my wife and I stole a brief kiss through the rusty prison bars of the old Marshalsea Prison for unfortunate debtors that is positioned in the centre of the room in rememberance of those poor forgotten souls who perished within those dreadful places. A tiny scrap of paper containing the first ever scribblings of a young Charles Dickens was also on show in a well lit wall cabinet that I found interesting. An excellent visit was crowned with a few keepsakes from the giftshop and we left happy with our exciting and intriguing experience. Thank you 💖

I highly recommend coming here! It was very cool to see Charles Dickens actual house. It literally has the real Dickens family commode on display in the parents bedroom lol. There are at least 4 floors. The kitchen, wine cellar, and "laundry room" are in the basement. You can download an audio guide to listen to while you walk through the house. It takes about 1.5 hours to get through the house but it depends on each person of course.There is a lovely cafe and outdoor seating there too. Its near Russell Square tube Station and about a 10 minute walk from there. Its also relatively close to the British Museum.

I have been to this museum during the Christmas 🎄time last year that has brought me a spirit of the family time during holidays when the whole family gathers together to celebrate and congratulate 🎊 each other.

Beautiful house, lovely exhibition. You get a real feel for the 1830s and the time when Dickens lived at 48 Doughty Street. Cafe has a lovely outdoor space.

Very informative and a good lot to see within one of the houses he resided in. Definitely a lovely piece of history thats forever capsuled in this little townhouse.

What a great museum. Some fascinating information about Charles Dickens and it really made me want to go back and read his novels again.The cafe there is really nice with a beautiful garden seating area. The staff are very helpful and knowledgeable.

Fantastic museum to visit, Loved having the audio guides and enjoyed learning about the history of Charles Dickens. I also enjoyed chatting to the volunteers too. Would highly recommend

For someone who knows nothing about Dickens and who never had to read any of his books at school, the Dickens House Museum was both interesting, informative and engaging on all levels.Having gone on a HOT day it was super cool inside and gave us good tape from the sun whilst learning about the ins and outs of his home as well as the great man’s life.Of most interest was the fact that his father ended up in a debtor prison and the impact this had on his life as a whole and his works.Definitely worth the visit, and not an over subscribed tourist trap, thank god!

I’m so glad I squeezed in the Housemaid’s Tour. I felt transported to the mid-1800s as the entertaining and engaging guide walked us through the artifact filled home while narrating stories and facts. I particularly liked the dining room and loved how she said she would not go east of the house after dark- east being Jack the Ripper territory.I would recommend this tour to others as I enjoyed it very much but note: it is not wheelchair accessible. Due to many stairs, the tour is for the able bodied.

This is a really neat little museum to learn more about Charles Dickens, his family, and his legacy! I really enjoyed walking throughout the entire house, which was much larger than expected. What’s really handy is that they have a QR code with an audio tour handy to provide a voice over for each of the rooms, so bring along some headphones for a self guided tour!

Absolutely fascinating to see the desk upon which Dickens wrote Great Expectations (among other novelsand seeing the very mirrors where he acted out his characters as he wrote! And I enjoyed the audio tour which brought the experience alive.

I love the museum and the café. Also volunteers are very helpful, I met one named Phil who showed me the downstairs floor and told me a lot about this famous writer. It was amazing!

Lovely little museum. Also great if your just interested in the architecture. Such a sweet house and filled with lovely illustrations and objects of note. Only down side was no options in the cafe for those that are lactose intellectual. But lovely.

Brilliant museum. Spoke to a lovely girl who works there who was able to tell us all about the history of the house. Highly recommend.

Busy house over 4 floors where the coveted writer once lived. Think it could do with more video screens depicting his life or showing his works adapted into movies.Marcellina was a very informative and friendly guide, dressed accordingly for the era.

Commendable effort has been put into transporting us back to Dickens era. The museum exhibits an exhaustive collection of his work, lifestyle, family and his particular flair for showmanship. The attached picture is a glimpse of the Dickens familys dining room, where they hosted many gatherings (an audio of dinner chatter plays as you walk around this room, bringing the experience to life). For those not having any prior knowledge of Dickens, the volunteers on every floor are there to guide you through with exquisite tales of the writers life and works, as well as the society of the time. One of the volunteers, Bridget, especially took out time for us to explain in detail about the house layout, relics that have been collected from other Dickens residences and displayed here. The museum is definitely worth whether or not you know Dickens.

It is worthy what we pay for the entrance.A propper wealthy Victorian house.We had a fantastic and well knowledgeable guy, a gentleman volunteering there who told us all the history surrounding the objects of the house.

A sweet little museum about Charles Dickens’s, his work, his family and friends with a glimpse into the Victorian era. It’s divided into 4 floors via a staircase. It has a basements here one can see the kitchen and the laundry as well as the wine cellar. On the ground floor one can see the dinning room, the morning room (including the tickets office and the cafe). As one goes up the floors, bedrooms and reading rooms can be found. Top floor has the children’s room. There are toilets spread across the floors from the 1st the third and they’re very clean and tidy. On the ground floor there’s a cafe and a gorgeous courtyard. Staff could be more welcoming and helpful. It’s not disabled accessible. Overall a positive experience

This was an enlightening experience for us to be able to visit the home of one of Britains greatest writers. The rooms are laid out as they would have been in Dickens time there and it is easy to feel the familys presence there. The volunteers there are friendly and informative and pleased to be of help in describing life with the Dickens. Charles Dickens produced a lot of his major works here and its possible to see and read pages of his actual hand written work. A worthwhile visit in our opinion.

Small, but informative. Definitely recommend it! The reconstruction of the rooms gives us a glimpse of what must have been his life in the house. The rare pictures and memorabilia are especially worthwhile!

Great Museum to learn more about one of the greatest novelists and life in Victorian time in UK. The cafe and the garden are very beautiful and perfect for a break so take your time when you visit!

It was the first time I visited Charles Dickens Museum and the thing that made my visiting experience more memorable was the fact that my English teacher of 5th grade had recommended the place to me at the tender age of 10 years; since I was very interested in Charles Dickens novels and his history. A wonderful place to visit with quite a lot to see. This is the only residence of Charles Dickens that is open to the public. There are 3 floors altogether though its a 5 storey house from the Victorian era. We saw the dining room, the master bedroom , Marys (his young sister -in- lawbedroom, the dressing room etc. You can also see the study where Charles Dickens wrote his first novels. I enjoyed the basement where you can see the kitchen and the scullery. I also enjoyed the attic and the childrens nursery.The staff were very friendly and engaging in conversation; answering any questions I had.. a nice gift shop as well. They gave us a leaflet each which had all information regarding Charles Dickens and his family .Overall Im very glad to have finally visited the museum after almost 17 years of knowing of it.It was such a very intimate and homely feeling being in one of Charles Dickens residences after years. I definitely recommend this place to anyone who is fond of Charles Dickens novels.

A wonderful place to visit with much to see. Great time to visit as it was not busy. The staff are excellent and answered many of my questions. Be prepared to walk up several flights of stairs if you want to see the entire museum.

The Charles Dickens Museum is an authors house museum at 48 Doughty Street in Holborn, London Borough of Camden. It occupies a typical Georgian terraced house which was Charles Dickenss home from 25 March 1837 (a year after his marriageto December 1839.

My first time visiting, it had been in my ‘places to visit’ list for ever but I had never got around to going. I saw online that you could book A Handmaids Tour of his house for £15 so I did this one Sunday morning and it was wonderful. The actress playing the handmaid was excellent and really embraced the part and was very funny, engaging with everyone. The house has been preserved amazingly and everything is so tasteful. There is also a lovely cafe and a beautiful garden. Well worth a visit.

Little gem in a big metropole.If you like the stories of Charles Dickens, like I do, this is the place to be. Small rooms, with cracking wooden floors and stairs. Sound of a horse and chariot in the street, and of course all the small details. All inside the rooms, ones used by Charles Dickens. Furthermore a dedicated and helpful staff, and a small shop.

This museum makes excellent use of the space and the layout is striking. We attended just after it had been decorated for Christmas which really helped us get into the festive feel. There aren’t too many artefacts but the way it is designed makes up for this and you do feel like you’re getting a great insight into Dickens’ life. For the size of the museum I would say the entry price is a little on the high side but UK tax payers can get a return ticket for free if you gift aid. Would really recommend for anyone with a love of literature or Christmas!

The Charles Dickens Museum is a joy to visit. I went last week to view the museum for my Blog and loved it. Set inside a beautiful 5 storey home, the rooms are decorated as they would have been in the Victorian era. You can see the study where Charles Dickens wrote his first novels. I enjoyed the basement where you can see the kitchen and scullery. I stopped off in the cafe for a vegetarian quiche and salad. The food in the cafe is basic but nice. You can treat yourself to a cake, scone, soup or hot drink. There is a cute garden at the back which would be nice to sit on a sunny day. This museum is perfect for anyone who enjoys the writing of Charles Dickens or if you are interested in Victorian London. It doesnt take long to look around so you can pop in and browse if you find yourself in Bloomsbury.

Love this Museum. Charles lived there and it seems like they have preserved a good number of furniture and the original make up of the building structure.It was my second time there. I loved the room filled with poetry and the kitchen including the wine cellar. It takes back in time. There is also a reading room in the museum where you could read his books or yours. It’s on a quite street and the prices are super affordable. You should go visit history. Definitely worth it

Very interesting step into the past. Small museum — won’t take you more than 1.5 hours. But worth the visit if you enjoy history, Charles Dickens’ writing, or even if you appreciate getting a peek inside an old London brownstone.

An incredible place for all Dickens lovers. The museum details the house of Dickens, with manuscripts and utensils on display. For people who would like to experience the place to the fullest, they provide an audio guide for 3 pounds.

Visited early January, had been meaning going for a long time, after watching a movie about his life I decided to finally go. The house is well preserved, it projects the way they lived within the house very nicely and contains a good amount of his personal items along with many books.Upon entry you will be provided with an interesting information leaflet. Entry costs £9.50 but it’s free if you have the Art Fund card. If you want to buy souvenirs upon exit there is a shop.Worth visit especially if you are in the area.

Awesome little museum! It wasnt super busy which was nice so we could get a real good look. The guide book is wonderful. Lots of Info. Definitely worth a trip. The Victoria sponge Im the cafe was quit good