What is it?
A museum dedicated to one of London’s most famous literary characters, founded in 1989 on a site as close as possible to the one which Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s super sleuth is described as having inhabited between 1881 to 1904.
The building was originally number 239, but managed to change its official address to 221B after some legal wrangling, and the lovingly recreated details inside similarly conspire to persuade visitors to suspend their disbelief and feel themselves travelling back in time to a preserved fragment of historical reality.
Visitors are ushered inside by a policeman dressed in Victorian garb, before climbing the stairs to reach a faithful recreation of Holmes and Watson’s adjoining study and bedrooms belonging to the duo and their landlady Mrs Hudson spread across the first and second floors.
The third floor is a recreation of Conan Doyle’s writing room, featuring recordings of the author discussing his stories alongside a display dedicated to the various depictions of Sherlock Holmes on screen.
Why go?
To be properly immersed in some of the most popular novels in history. The museum’s lovingly recreated rooms feature a variety of details mentioned in Conan Doyle’s books, from Watson’s writing desk to Sherlock’s chemistry set, bullet holes on the wall spelling out the initials VR, Sherlock’s Persian slippers and Watson’s notes relating to the Baskerville case. So faithful is the museum that a reasonable proportion of visitors evidently believe that the enigmatic detective was a real person.
Don’t miss
The ground floor gift shop features all manner of Sherlock-themed memorabilia, from deerstalker hats to beautifully bound editions of the novels.
When to visit
The museum is open from 9.30am to 6pm daily. It’s become very popular with international tourists since the BBC’s hugely popular TV adaptation starring Benedict Cumberbatch, so you’re best off visiting outside of the city’s peak tourist seasons.
Ticket info
Adults from £19; concessions from £17 and children from £14. Tickets can be booked in advance online here.
Time Out tip
The policeman lurking by the entrance is a friendly fella and will happily pose for a photograph.