If you’re visiting Madame Tussauds then you might like to consider the Sherlock Holmes Museum as well because it’s only two minutes round the corner. Tourists love a bit of Sherlock Holmes. Catch a black cab down Baker Street, fish and chips and a cup of tea, and then spend an hour walking round Sherlock Holmes’ house. What could be more British than that?
Sherlock’s home at 221b Baker Street
I’ve always wondered why Sir Arthur Conan Doyle sited his house down here because it’s not exactly the prettiest street in London. It’s just a lot of shops and offices these days, but it turns out that 221b Baker Street didn’t even exist in his day.
It wasn’t until the 1930s that it stretched all the way up to 221, and then the Abbey National Building Society snapped it up before the Sherlock Holmes Museum had a chance to grab it. So they had to settle for a shop a few doors down instead (which is where it is today). Nobody ever spots the anomaly, though, because they sneakily stuck the number 221 above the door.
The first thing you need to do is have your photo taken with the Victorian copper outside the door. He’ll have a wooden puff pipe and deerstalker hat by his side if you fancy dressing up as Sherlock.
Once you’re inside head straight up the stairs to Sherlock’s study where he used to sit with Dr Watson. There’s no audio-guide or anything like that. All you get is a little A4 leaflet to wander around with, but straight away you’ll recognise his fireside armchair and bookshelves stuffed with papers and case notes falling out all over the place.
I suppose that’s one of the fun things about the house if you’re a fan, you can spot a lot of props from the novels. People around me are literally oohing and aaahing every time they see something they recognise.
They’ve got the severed thumb of Victor Hatherley, for example, the amputated ears of Mary Browner, the spooky voodoo doll from Mr Garcia’s, and a revolver stuffed inside a Bible. They all seem rather real when you’re standing here staring at them, and I’m sure a lot of people believe them to be historical artefacts.
One of the best things about the house is how free and easy they are with these exhibits. If you want to sit in his fireside seat and try on his deerstalker hat then you can do. They don’t mind in the slightest. The only real criticism I can make of the place is that it’s too full of people posing for photos and you’re forever shuffling two steps here and three steps there to let someone get a clear shot. The rooms are really small and somebody is always waiting for their go, so you’re forever queuing in the rooms until it’s your turn.
Waxworks of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters
At the top of the house is an attic of waxworks dressed up as characters from the stories.
They’ve got a moody looking Moriarty up there, a dying Roylott lying spread-eagled on the floor, Lady Eva Blackwell shooting Milverton at point blank range, and Lady Carfax propped up in a coffin (and looking rather too happy for a corpse).
If you enjoy this then try Charles Dickens Museum (take a tube journey from Baker Street to Russell Square) and Dr. Johnson’s House (catch a tube from Baker Street to Temple). They’ve also got a Sherlock Holmes exhibit at Madame Tussauds
