Charles Dickens' Birthplace Museum
2012 marks 200 years since Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth and the city is celebrating with a year long series of events. See the Charles Dickens’ Birthplace website for more details. From 28 January to 4 November 2012 there will also be a special exhibition at the City Museum called 'A Tale of One City' which will show what life was like in Portsmouth during 1812 – 1870.
The furniture, ceramics, glass, household objects and decorations faithfully recreated the Regency style which Charles's parents would have favoured, although their actual possessions have long since been dispersed.
There are 3 furnished rooms: the parlour, the dining room and the bedroom where Charles was born. The exhibition room features a display on Charles Dickens and Portsmouth, as well as a small collection of memorabilia: the couch on which he died at his house in Kent, together with his snuff box, inkwell and paper knife, poignant reminders of an author celebrated for his prodigious talents and creative output.
Use the weblink on the right to access the Museums website for full information. The Museum will be free of charge for Portsmouth Library Card holders from 7th March - 4th November 2012. The Musuem will also be free to al Mum's on Mother's Day, 18th March.
Opening Times
| Charles Dickens (01/04/2012 - 30/09/2012) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Day | Times | |
| Monday | Closed | |
| Tuesday | 10:00 | 17:30 |
| Wednesday | 10:00 | 17:30 |
| Thursday | 10:00 | 17:30 |
| Friday | 10:00 | 17:30 |
| Saturday | 10:00 | 17:30 |
| Sunday | 10:00 | 17:30 |
| Bank Holiday | 10:00 | 17:30 |
| Charles Dickens (01/10/2012 - 04/11/2012) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Day | Times | |
| Monday | Closed | |
| Tuesday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Wednesday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Thursday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Friday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Saturday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Sunday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Bank Holiday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Charles Dickens Birthday (28/01/2013 - 31/03/2013) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Day | Times | |
| Monday | Closed | |
| Tuesday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Wednesday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Thursday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Friday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Saturday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
| Sunday | 10:00 | 17:00 |
Facilities
Provider Preferences
- In town/city centre
- Indoor Attraction
Accessibility
- Facilities for Visually Impaired Visitors - Accessible parking close by. Historic building - access for less ambulent is limited. Virtual tour available to buy on DVD.
- Guide Dogs Permitted
Parking & Transport
- On site parking close by
- Parking (charge)
- Railway station within walking distance
Payment Methods
- Approx length of visit - 30-45 minutes
- Groups Accepted
- MasterCard accepted
- Min group size - 15 (to achieve group rates)
- Open by appointment outside normal opening times - Groups of 15 ot more can visit from Nov-Mar if booked two weeks in advance.
- Visa accepted
Establishment Features
- Gift shop
- Groups welcome
- Toilets
Specialist Features
- Educational Groups
Tours and Demonstrations
- Educational Visits Accepted - Most suitable for Key Stages 1, 2 and 3.
Printed Material in Foreign Languages
- Bengali printed material
- Cantonese printed material
- Dutch printed material
- French printed material
- German printed material
- Hindi printed material
- Italian printed material
- Japanese printed material
- Literature in Dutch
- Literature in French
- Literature in German
- Literature in Italian
- Literature in Japanese
- Literature in Spanish
- Russian printed material
- Spanish printed material
Group Travel
- Out of Hours Visits
Prices
| Ticket Type | Tariff |
|---|---|
| 17 and under free if accompanied by a full paying adult | Free |
| Adult | £4.00 per ticket |
| Child | £3.00 per ticket |
| Senior 60+ | £3.50 per ticket |
| Student with valid ID | £3.00 per ticket |
Free admission on 5th and 7th February 2012. Free admission to all Portsmouth Library Card holders 7th March - 4th Nov.
Road Directions
Take M27 to M275. Follow brown Tourist signs to Charles Dickens' Birthplace.
Public Transport Directions
Nearest train station is Portsmouth & Southsea.
