Sherlock Holmes: The Man Who Never Lived And Will Never Die is the largest exhibition of its kind in over sixty years, bringing together world-class loans, artifacts from the Museum’s own archives and props from the BBC’s successful Sherlock series. The last major exhibition about Sherlock Holmes was staged over sixty years ago at the 1951 Festival of Britain.
Though his fame never dimmed, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s character has enjoyed something of a renaissance in the last five years, spawning two films, a television show, illustrated children’s books and an ‘authorised’ sequel written by author Anthony Horowitz.
According to Alex Werner, Head of History Collections at the Museum of London and lead curator of Sherlock Holmes, the exhibition aims to make sense of Holmes’ enduring appeal, by offering fans the opportunity to retrace his whole story from early literary beginnings to theatrical productions and finally the twenty-first century media’s portrayal. It is undoubtedly fitting, that this celebration of Holmes is to be staged in London’s eponymous museum, ‘the city’ continues Mr Werner’ which shaped the stores and created such a rich source for its success.’
Highlights are said to include Sir Doyle’s The Adventure of the Empty House (1903) manuscript, which features the return of Holmes after his confrontation with Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls. The collector’s item has been flown over from Philadelphia and is to be joined on display by artwork loaned from the Conan Doyle Foundation and the iconic Belstaff jacket worn by actor Benedict Cumberbatch in the BBC adaptation.
The exhibition runs from October 17 to April 25 2015 at the Museum of London. Tickets will cost £12 for adults, £10 for conessions and £9.50 per person for flexible family tickets (groups of 3 to 6 people.) Find out more about the Sherlock Holmes exhibition at the Museum of London or call 020 7001 9844.
