Perhaps there is no such person in the world who at least once did not hear the name of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. And for today it is possible not only to read once again the great works of no less famous writer Arthur Conan Doyle, but also to plunge into the atmosphere of the time described in them. This dream can be realized by visiting the amazing Sherlock Holmes house museum in London, opened in 1990. And where is the museum of Sherlock Holmes, it's easy to guess - of course at Baker Street, 221b. It is here, according to the books of Arthur Conan Doyle, for a long time lived and worked Sherlock Holmes and his faithful assistant Dr. Watson.
A bit of history
The Sherlock Holmes Museum is located in a four-story house, built in Victorian style, located near the London Underground station of the same name. The building was erected in 1815 and subsequently added to the list of buildings with historical and architectural value of the second class.
At the time of writing the above-mentioned works of address Baker Street, 221b did not exist. And when, at the end of the 19th century, Baker Street was extended north, number 221b was among the numbers that were assigned to the Abbey National building.
At the founding of the museum, its creators specifically registered a company with the name "221b Baker Street", which made it possible to hang the appropriate sign on the house legally, although the actual number of the house was 239. In due course the building still received the official address 221b, Baker Street. And the correspondence, which before came to Abbey National, was sent directly to the museum.
Modest abode of the great detective
For fans of Conan Doyle, the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street will become a real treasure. It is there that they will be able to fully immerse themselves in the life of their favorite hero. The first floor of the house was occupied by a small front and souvenir shop. The second floor is the bedroom of Holmes and the living room. The third is the rooms of Dr. Watson and Mrs. Hudson. On the fourth floor is a collection of wax figures, it contains various characters from novels. And in a small attic there is a bathroom.
The house of Sherlock Holmes and its interior, to the smallest detail, corresponds to the descriptions that are present in the works of Conan Doyle. In the house museum you can see Holmes' violin, equipment for chemical experiments, a Turkish shoe with tobacco, a hunting whip, an army revolver of Dr. Watson and other things belonging to the heroes of the novels.
In Watson's room you can get acquainted with photographs, paintings, literature and newspapers of the time. And in the center of Mrs. Hudson's room was Holmes's bronze bust. Also, when you go into this room, you can see some of the detective's correspondence and letters that came to his name.
Collection of wax figures
Now let's take a closer look at the collection of wax figures. Here you will find:
- Mr. Neville Saint-Claire, working as a professional beggar (the story "Man with a split lip"), and Dr. Grimsby Roylott, who stepped on his own rake, and then died of a viper bite ("Motley Ribbon");
- red-headed usurer Jabez Wilson,
rewriting the British Encyclopedia (the story "Union of the Reds"); - Professor Moriarty, head of the London underworld, as well as the sworn enemy of Holmes ("The Last Case of Sherlock Holmes");
- the head of the Baskervilles from the novel of the same name;
- Holmes and Watson, saving the woman from a painful death (the story "The disappearance of Lady Francis Carfax").
All of them, as alive, will make you once again experience the events of your favorite novels.
Do not forget to visit the house of Sherlock Holmes in London, if you happen to visit this city, and you will get a lot of positive emotions.