Literary lovers, listen up. There really is nothing quite like a good story to take you away from the worries of the world, and with the hoards of iconic poets , authors and playwrights that have called London home over the years, there’s no better place to delve into the magic of storytelling. According to Oscar Wilde, London is composed "entirely of beautiful idiots and brilliant lunatics", and their tales are waiting to be discovered.
If you’re looking to learn more about what lies between the lines, London has you covered. It’s the second largest library in the world (beaten only by Washington’s Library of Congress) and contains more than 150 million items dating back 4,000 years. Rare books, illuminated manuscripts, audiotapes, journals, newspapers and photographs are all contained in this massive Kings Cross building.
A lot of it is only accessible with a reader pass (which is easy enough to get), but the Treasures Gallery holds some true jewels: the Magna Carta, Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, several works by Shakespeare, Jane Austen and the death warrant of Mary Queen of Scots, signed by Queen Elizabeth I. Regular exhibitions take place across the museum, with free ones in the entrance hall. bl.
uk The National Poetry Library is the largest public collection of modern poetry in the world. Since T.S.
Eliot and Herbert Read opened it in 1953, it has moved homes several times to contain its constantly expanding collection, settling on the South Bank. The library holds work from 1912, a collection of all UK poetry books released by mainstream and independent publishers: if it’s out there, it’s in here. There are postcards, magazines, audio poems and press cuttings to enjoy – and it’s completely free to visit.
nationalpoetrylibrary.org.uk The former home of Romantic poet John Keats was the setting for his most productive years of writing between 1818 and 1820.
Now, the Regency villa holds many of his original manuscripts and artefacts that document his work, relationships and inspirations. cityoflondon.gov.
uk Tucked away by Regent’s Canal in King’s Cross is a little gem. Founded by Sir Quentin Blake himself, the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration (which used to be called the House of Illustration) is the UK’s only charity for illustration. Exhibitions show a range of illustrators – both historic and contemporary – while workshops for kids and adults teach the art of illuminating picture books.
The gallery also hosts the annual book illustration competition with The Folio Society publishing house, to find the best new talent. qbcentre.org.
uk Oliver Twist, The Pickwick Papers and Nicholas Nickleby were all written in this terraced house in Holborn. Now a museum, each room tells a different story about Charles Dickens’ life: from the drawing room where he used to perform theatrical readings and improvised skits, to his slew of well-known literary guests; to the study, which holds early editions of his great works. Treasures on display include his writing desk, handwritten drafts and his wife’s engagement ring.
dickensmuseum.com Built to give children an introduction into the immersive world of reading, Discover in Stratford is all about the power of storytelling. The Story World and the Story Garden are filled with giant hollow trees, castles and reading dens to give the imagination that little extra boost.
Authors, poets, illustrators and storytellers drop in throughout the year for readings and workshops, but the main features are the exhibitions that create life-sized, playable experiences of books. discover.org.
uk Where else would this be but 221B Baker Street? Well, not quite: the Sherlock Holmes Museum is actually situated between number 237 and 241. The Marylebone townhouse has been transformed into a residence, reimagining how Holmes and Dr Watson may have lived there. The interior has been finely furnished in keeping with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s very specific descriptions in the novels.
Despite being fictional, his mystery solving pair are so iconic that the building is now protected due to its ‘special historical interest’. Baker Street, Marylebone, NW1 6XE, sherlock-holmes.co.
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