Dickensian London: The Magic Lantern City
21 October 2026 – 18 April 2027
This exhibition explores the world of Dickens’s London and how inextricably linked the writer is with our perception of it. From what the city looked like, to the people who lived in it, the sights, smells and scenes of London life can all be found in the pages of Dickens’s works. From his early journalism to his later novels, London pervades.
The city was one of contrasts; in Dickens’s own words ‘Life and death went hand in hand; wealth and poverty stood side by side’ and the very word ‘Dickensian’ conjures up a double image in our minds: one of squalid, poverty-stricken living and working conditions side by side with the cosy, jolly characters and domestic scenes.
Dickens needed London for inspiration, but he was also passionate about bringing its poor living and working conditions to light. Drawing on his own experiences, he used his talents to campaign for change.
Explore the London Dickens lived in, and the one he created, through unique objects such as Dickens's walking stick, a copy of Barnaby Rudge bound in wood from Newgate prison, an original sketch of Fagin, his manuscript for Oliver Twist and a doorknocker from his childhood London home.
Step inside as we bring Dickensian London to life through its sights, sounds and smells.
With thanks to our exhibition sponsors, The Murray family and The Dickens Fellowship.
Museum admission includes the historic London home of Charles Dickens and access to the exhibition, Dickensian London: The Magic Lantern City.