24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
Museum Details
Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum, Portsmouth
Image: Row of Regency-style houses, one with a Blue Plaque on it.
Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum
393 Old Commercial Road
Portsmouth
PO1 4QL
Hampshire
England
Collection details
Decorative and Applied Art
Literature
Personalities
Facilities
Shop: yes
Visual disability facilities: yes
Disabled Visitor Access and Facilities:
Due to the number of narrow steps within the building it is not accessible to people with walking difficulties and wheelchair users. (A virtual- reality DVD tour of the birthplace is available to purchase and is on show at our City Museum and Records Office, which is completely accessible).
Shop: The museum has a well-stocked shop selling a wide and varied range of souvenirs, gifts, china and books, including all major works by Charles Dickens and biographies of this famous author.
Parking: Old Commercial Road is now a precinct with limited access for vehicles. Coaches however, can gain access via Nelson Road and Victoria Street to allow access for passengers.
Education: Additional educational advice is available from the Education Officer on Portsmouth 023 9282 7261. The Birthplace is suitable for a wide range of National Curriculum work and a Resource Pack for KS1 and 2 is available for loan. Teacher's Resource Packs are available FREE OF CHARGE to any school booking a visit to the Birthplace.
Contact details
Information (Tel)
:
023 9282 7261
Minicom (Tel)
:
023 9287 6550
Education Officer (Tel)
:
023 9282 7261
General information (Fax)
:
023 9287 5276
Information
:
info@charlesdickensbirthplace.co.uk
Education Officer
:
education@charlesdickensbirthplace.co.uk
General enquiries
:
mvs@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Website
:
www.charlesdickensbirthplace.co.uk
Open
April to September, daily 10.00am - 5.30pm
Charles Dicken's Birthday, 7 February, 10.00am-4.00pm
Last ticket sold 30 minutes before closing time.
Museum shop closes 15 minutes before closing time.
Closed
October-March
Admission charges
Admission Price:
Adult: £3.50; Senior citizen: £3.00; Child: £2.50; Family: £9.50. Children under 13 yrs - free if accompanied by an adult. Max 2 admitted free.
UB40: Holders of UB40 admitted at students rates.
Group discount:
Adult: £2.80; Senior citizen: £2.40; Child: £2.00. Discounts if booked in advance giving 48 hours notice, available for parties of 15 or more, UK schools are free. Telephone +44 (0)23 9229 6905 for reservations.
Discounts
Museums Association
Description
The famous writer Charles Dickens was born in this modest house in Portsmouth, England in 1812. The house has miraculously survived and is now preserved as a museum furnished in the style of 1809 which is when John and Elizabeth Dickens set up the first home of their married life there.
They had no idea that their eldest son would go on to become one of the most internationally famous writers popular across the world for his novels and short stories. John Dickens came to Portsmouth when his job in the Navy Pay Office was transferred from London. They stayed here until 1815 when his job demanded that he return to London. Charles Dickens only lived in Portsmouth for the first three years of his life but he returned to the town on three occasions. Once he returned to research background information for his novel 'Nicholas Nickleby', and on two occasions later in life when he was a famous writer to give public readings of his work. On his last visit in 1866 he tried to find his birthplace but was unsuccessful, however it is now clearly signposted so visitors can find it easily!
Even though Dickens' popular writing career ran from 1836 to 1870 his characters live on as familiar friends to many people all over the world. Millions of people sympathise with Oliver 'asking for more' or Sydney Carton declaiming 'it is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done'. He is best known for his evocations of Victorian Christmas celebrations in his many Christmas stories - who can forget the three Spirits of Christmas who appeared to Scrooge?
Collections description
The furniture, ceramics, glass, household objects and decorations faithfully re-create the Regency style which Charles's parents would have favoured, although their actual possessions have long since been dispersed.
There are three 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.
Key artists and exhibits
Charles Dickens
Articles
News In Brief - Week Ending January 13 2008
General Information
Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
Pre-booking service for groups
Collections
General guide to collections available
Object identification and/or written enquiry service
Disability Access
Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
Large print information and/or interpretation
General Education
Loan service
Member of staff available with responsibility for education
Teaching/resources available for HE/FE students
Schools Education
Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
Facilities
Shop
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.