Few writers are as synonymous with London as Charles Dickens. Reading his works can instantly transport you to a London full of street urchins or young men full of great expectations. However immersing yourself in his books and essays is not the only way to get to know the famous writer.

The Charles Dickens Museum in central London recently completed renovations and now offers literary pilgrims an even richer experience. Not only can visitors see the desk where Dickens penned such works as Oliver Twist, they can also learn about what life was like for Dickens and his peers in Victorian London. The rooms around his former home are kept to period fashion, but the museum never feels overly stuffy nor stale. In fact while wandering the rooms, visitors can hear the sonorous voice of Dickens expert Simon Callow sharing the words of the writer.

Even if you cannot tell your ‘Nicholas Nickleby’ from your ‘David Copperfield’, a visit to Dickens’s former London home provides an in-depth peek into one of London’s literary and cultural treasures.