Arthur Conan Doyle Museums
Museums lists permanent museums and long-term visitable exhibitions dedicated to Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and the Sherlockian world.
Most museums listed here are primarily devoted to Sherlock Holmes rather than to Arthur Conan Doyle himself. The Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery and its Conan Doyle Collection are the main public museum collection directly focused on Conan Doyle. Other museums, such as those in Lucens, Meiringen and London, are Sherlock Holmes museums but may include material related to Conan Doyle, his family, the history of the stories, or their adaptations.
Temporary exhibitions about Conan Doyle or Sherlock Holmes are not listed here unless they are part of a recurring or long-term museum display. For libraries, archives and research collections, see Libraries.
Conan Doyle Museums
Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery / Conan Doyle Collection
Portsmouth holds one of the most important public collections devoted to Arthur Conan Doyle. The Conan Doyle Collection was bequeathed in 2004 to the City of Portsmouth by Richard Lancelyn Green, a leading scholar and collector of Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes material. The collection includes archives, books and objects related to Conan Doyle's life and works, Sherlock Holmes, detective fiction, science fiction, spiritualism, adaptations and Sherlockian societies.
Conan Doyle connection: Arthur Conan Doyle lived and worked in Portsmouth as a doctor for eight years, and wrote the first Sherlock Holmes story there.
Collection highlights
- 40,000 archive items
- 16,000 books
- 3,000 objects
- Public exhibitions including A Study for Sherlock and online exhibitions from the Conan Doyle Collection
Catalogue
A. Richard Lancelyn Green
- Working Papers
- Research Files
- Correspondence
- Collecting Activities
- Sherlock Holmes Statue Company
- Groups
- Trips & Holidays
- Christmas Cards (produced annually by RLG)
- Roger Lancelyn Green
B. Arthur Conan Doyle and family
- Photographs
- Correspondence to and from Arthur Conan Doyle
- Diaries
- Finances
- Automatic Sculpture Syndicate
- Quarry Hill Farm
- Psychic Bookshop
- Other documents in Arthur Conan Doyle’s hand
- Other documents owned or signed by Arthur Conan Doyle
- Mary Louise Conan Doyle
- Lady Jean Conan Doyle
- Denis Conan Doyle
- Pamphlets written by Arthur Conan Doyle
- Events of a historical nature connected to Arthur Conan Doyle
- Writings about Arthur Conan Doyle
- Lena Jean (Billie) Conan Doyle
- Nina Mdivani
- Denis & Nina Conan Doyle
- Anthony Harwood
- Anthony & Nina Harwood
- Windlesham Cottage
- Financial
- Travel
- Mdivani Family History
- Miscellaneous
C. Spiritualism
- Spiritualist Photography
- Spiritualism Manuscripts and Correspondence
- Journals and Articles
D. Dramatisations
- Photographs, postcards, lobby cards from stage, screen and radio adaptations of Conan Doyle works and pastiche
- Scripts and Screenplays (369)
- Trade Publicity (re 242 stage, screen and radio productions etc)
- Consumer Publicity (re 304 stage, screen and radio productions etc)
- Programmes (re 661 productions)
- Actor Autographs and Correspondence
- Non Doyle Drama
- Forthcoming Productions
E. Groups & societies
- Baker Street Irregulars
- Sherlock Holmes Society of London
- Other groups and societies – 151 - worldwide
F. Sherlock Holmes phenomena
- Photographs, postcards, calendars, diaries, stamps, calling cards, bookmarks, greetings cards, notepaper, public houses, restaurants, hotels, tourist guides, advertising, illustrations, maps, book covers, Snoopy material, Japanese Sherlockiana, cartoons, pamphlets (fiction and non-fiction), conferences, pipe material, games and activities, etc.
G. Victorian and edwardian world
- Places
- Beeton Family
- Gordon Bottomley
- Hornung
- Kipling
- CS Lewis
- Lewis Carroll
- George MacDonald
- William Morris
- Paget
- Dorothy L Sayers
- Oscar Wilde
- Other Victorians and Edwardians
H. Sale catalogues
- From 440 auction houses and specialist and non-specialist antiquarian and other booksellers
I. Scrapbooks
J. Exhibitions
K. Newspapers and newspaper cuttings
- Newspapers
- Cuttings
- Photocopies
L. Archival items found in books
Access to the collection
The Arthur Conan Doyle Richard Lancelyn Green Collection is split into three parts: Archives, Books and Objects. The Archives and Books are housed at Portsmouth Central Library, while the Objects are housed at Portsmouth Museum. Public exhibitions, including A Study for Sherlock and You Don't Know Sherlock Holmes Yet, are on display at Portsmouth Museum. Access to the Archives is by appointment only, with at least one week's notice required.
Locations
- Objects & Exhibitions
- Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery
- Museum Road
- Portsmouth, PO1 2LJ, England
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: +44 23 9283 4779
- Archives
- Portsmouth Central Library
- Portsmouth City Council
- Guildhall Square
- Portsmouth, PO1 2DX, England
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: +44 23 9268 8043
- Books
- Portsmouth History Centre
- 2nd Floor
- Portsmouth Central Library
- Guildhall Square
- Portsmouth, PO1 2DX, England
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: +44 23 9268 8046
Opening times
- Monday - 9.30am-5pm
- Tuesday - 9.30am-6pm
- Wednesday - 9.30am-6pm
- Thursday - 9.30am-6pm
- Friday - 9.30am-5pm
- Saturday - 10am-3.30pm
- Sunday - Closed
Official websites
Sherlock Holmes Museums
Musée Sherlock Holmes (Lucens, Switzerland)
The "Musée Sherlock Holmes" (Sherlock Holmes Museum) in Lucens was originally created by Adrian Conan Doyle, son of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, after he settled at the Château de Lucens in 1965. The museum is dedicated to Sherlock Holmes and to Conan Doyle's work, and is now housed in the "Maison Rouge" in Lucens, at a short distance from the castle.
Collections and displays
- Books and objects related to Sherlock Holmes.
- Furniture, personal belongings and objects related to Arthur Conan Doyle.
- Reconstruction of the sitting room of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.
- Victorian atmosphere recreated through numerous authentic objects.
- Original editions by Arthur Conan Doyle and facsimiles of manuscripts.
Location
- Musée Sherlock Holmes
- Rue des Greniers 7
- 1522 Lucens
- Switzerland
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: +41 21 906 73 33 / +41 76 583 61 33
Opening times
- Monday - Closed
- Tuesday - Closed
- Wednesday - Closed
- Thursday - Closed
- Friday - Closed
- Saturday - 2pm-5pm
- Sunday - 2pm-5pm
Visits are also available by reservation. Check the official website before visiting.
Official website
Sherlock Holmes Museum (Meiringen, Switzerland)
The Sherlock Holmes Museum in Meiringen is located near the Reichenbach Falls, the famous setting of the confrontation between Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty in The Final Problem. The museum opened in 1991 in the basement of the English Church in Meiringen.
Collections and displays
- Exhibition pieces related to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and the Victorian era.
- Faithful reconstruction of the sitting room of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson at Baker Street 221B.
- Audio guide available in several languages.
- Museum visit often associated with the nearby Reichenbach Falls.
- See catalogue
Location
- Sherlock Holmes Museum
- Bahnhofstrasse 26
- CH-3860 Meiringen, Switzerland
- Phone: +41 33 972 60 08
- Email: form
Opening times
Opened from 1 May 2026 to 31 October 2026.
- Monday - 1pm-5.30pm
- Tuesday - 1pm-5.30pm
- Wednesday - 1pm-5.30pm
- Thursday - 1pm-5.30pm
- Friday - 1pm-5.30pm
- Saturday - 1pm-5.30pm
- Sunday - 1pm-5.30pm
Please check the official website before visiting, as opening times may vary by season.
Official website
Virtual tour
Sherlock Holmes Museum (Baker Street, London)
The Sherlock Holmes Museum is a museum devoted to Sherlock Holmes and the fictional world of 221B Baker Street. It recreates the Victorian lodgings of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Mrs. Hudson, and is mainly focused on the character and his adventures rather than on Arthur Conan Doyle himself.
Collections and displays
- Reconstruction of Sherlock Holmes's rooms at 221B Baker Street.
- Victorian-style interiors and period atmosphere.
- Objects and memorabilia inspired by the Sherlock Holmes stories.
- Life-size waxwork scenes from famous Sherlock Holmes adventures.
- Gift shop with Sherlock Holmes memorabilia.
Location
- The Sherlock Holmes Museum
- 221B Baker Street
- Marylebone
- London, NW1 6XE, England
- Phone: +44 20 7224 3688
- Email: [email protected]
Opening times
- Monday - 9.30am-6pm
- Tuesday - 9.30am-6pm
- Wednesday - 9.30am-6pm
- Thursday - 9.30am-6pm
- Friday - 9.30am-6pm
- Saturday - 9.30am-6pm
- Sunday - 9.30am-6pm
(Last entry at 5:30pm)
Official website
