By Cindy Brzostowski, to Museum Spotlight Europe (September 2022)
Is your idea of a good time having your nose stuck in a book until the wee hours of the morning? If you answered yes, visit these museums specifically dedicated to famous authors, beloved characters, and literature: Charles Dickens Museum, The Sherlock Holmes Museum, Jane Austen’s House and Centre, The Writers’ Museum, The Franz Kafka Museum, The Literature Museum of the Austrian National Library, Anne Frank House, Museum of Literature, Museum Meermanno and the Louvre. Exploring these establishments may give you a newfound perspective on, and appreciation for, some of the writers and works you admire most.
Charles Dickens Museum — London, England
Explore Charles Dickens famous works like A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Carol and Great Expectations at the Charles Dickens Museum. Learn about his life and legacy through original manuscripts, letters, and other personal items. The museum is established in his former home, in London.
The Sherlock Holmes Museum — London England
Elsewhere in London, you can celebrate one of the most beloved fictional characters at The Sherlock Holmes Museum. Fittingly found at 221B Baker Street, this museum feels like a step back to the Victorian Era, and Sherlockians will love wandering through the rooms designed to look like the peerless sleuth’s residence.
Jane Austen’s House — Chawton, England
Anyone who has fallen in love with the stories and characters of Jane Austen (Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy, Marianne Dashwood… there are too many to name) should plan a visit to Jane Austen’s House in Chawton. This is the very cottage where she worked on her iconic novels, and the grounds are just as lovely as the collection of objects from the author’s life.
The Jane Austen Centre — Bath, England
For more Jane Austen adoration, there’s The Jane Austen Centre in Bath (where the writer lived for several years). This place offers an immersive experience to really bring you into Austen’s world with costumed guides through exhibitions and a Regency-themed tea room. You can take a picture with the Jane Austen statue outside and the Jane Austen waxwork sculpture inside too!
The Writers’ Museum — Edinburgh, Scotland
Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Robert Louis Stevenson have at least two things in common; They’re all famous writers and they all hailed from Scotland. You can learn more about their lives at The Writers’ Museum in Edinburgh, which has a collection of rare books, manuscripts, portraits, and personal objects. If you’re in the area, there’s no reason not to swing by since it’s free admission.
The Franz Kafka Museum — Prague, Czech Republic
The Franz Kafka Museum in Prague is the place to go if you’re a fan of the writer who’s considered one of the 20th century’s most important literary figures. Kafka was born and buried in Prague, and this museum pays tribute to him through an exhibition with first-edition works, letters, diaries, photographs, and more. If you’d like, you can also book a tour with a guide.
Photo by Archiv Klaus Wagenbach, Berlin via Museum of Czech Literature, Prague
The Literature Museum of the Austrian National Library — Vienna, Austria
While in Vienna, you’ll have the chance to visit The Literature Museum of the Austrian National Library. Here, it’s all about Austrian literature, starting from the 18th century until the modern day, and you’ll find two floors of permanent exhibitions and another floor for special exhibits. If you don’t happen to speak German, you can request a museum tablet, which offers information about the displays in English.
© Austrian National Library / Collection of manuscripts and old prints
Anne Frank House — Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Anne Frank’s diary is deemed one of the most important documents from the Holocaust, and the memoir serves as a moving classic appreciated around the world. At the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, you can see the hiding place she shared with her family and others along with an exhibition about her life. You’ll need a ticket with a specific time slot to visit the museum, so make sure to book one in advance.
© Anne Frank House / Photographer: Cris Toala Olivares
Museum of Literature — The Hague, the Netherlands
Have your travels taken you to The Hague? If so, make sure to swing by the Museum of Literature and dive into Dutch literature. Throughout the exhibits, you’ll discover manuscripts, letters, author portraits, and children’s book illustrations, representing over 6,000 writers from centuries ago as well as modern times.
Museum Meermanno — The Hague, the Netherlands
Before you leave The Hague, check out Museum Meermanno – House of the Book, which resides in the former house of book collector, Willem Hendrik Jacob van Westreenen van Tiellandt. Here you can examine incredible items, such as rare, medieval manuscripts and a copy of Joan Blaeu’s Atlas Maior, which is considered the most expensive book published in the 17th century.
Image by Huis van het boek
Louvre Museum — Paris, France
Ending things on a fun note, we have the Louvre Museum in Paris. This institution is focused on art, but anyone who loves the bestselling, The Da Vinci Code, will surely enjoy wandering the expansive museum to find clues like its main character, Robert Langdon. You can even find tours, inspired by the book, that take you in the footsteps of the fictional symbologist.
Special Mentions
Any good bookworm is bound to appreciate a good library, and there are plenty of those in Europe.
The Ambrosian Library — Milan, Italy
Founded in 1609, The Ambrosian Library in Milan is a gorgeous space with masterpieces like original drawings of Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Atlanticus and Renaissance sculptures.
The Marciana Library — Venice, Italy
Dating back even further (to 1468 to be exact), the Marciana Library is home to one million books and 13,000 manuscripts, and the building itself is a thing of beauty inside and out.
The British Library — London, England
In London, The British Library has an astonishing collection of over 170 million items, and some of the gems include the Magna Carta and the Beowulf manuscript. Check the calendar for current exhibitions.
Bodleian Library — Oxford, England
The Bodleian Library in Oxford is another one of Europe’s oldest libraries. To see inside, you can book a guided tour, or you can go for a self-guided audio tour. Check the calendar for special exhibitions.
The Library of Trinity College Dublin — Dublin, Ireland
The Library of Trinity College Dublin hosts various exhibitions, and its Long Room ranks among the world’s top most beautiful libraries. The Book of Kells, a 9th-century manuscript, earns a noteworthy mention.
Cover Image © Anne Frank House / Photographer: Cris Toala Olivares
