As we are forced to close again, we need your help more than ever...

4th November 2020

2020 has been a tough year for so many people, here in the UK and around the world.

Here at the Charles Dickens Museum, we have put our all into facing each challenge with energy and commitment, changing and changing again. Our staff and volunteers, buoyed up by the thousands of people who have visited in person or online, have worked tirelessly to adapt to new circumstances and to ensure that the museum and its wonderful collections are secure now and for many years to come.

Having been forced to close for four months earlier this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we were thrilled to reopen in July and welcome visitors back to Doughty Street. Although social distancing measures reduced our capacity, it was a pleasure to see a steady stream of visitors exploring the house in which Charles Dickens and his family lived, and engaging with the extraordinary collections that tell the story of Dickenss life and work.

Just as we were gearing up for the festive season one of the most anticipated and loved times of year at the Museum the Prime Minister announced that England would be returning to another period of lockdown, forcing us to close yet again from 5th November for four weeks.

As an independent Museum that relies on visitors coming through the door to generate most of our income, this was a real blow, especially when we would normally expect to earn around £90,000 during this period.

So, as we temporarily close our doors again, we must ask once more for your help. We know how difficult this year has been for people, businesses and institutions everywhere, and we truly appreciate the circumstances under which everybody is living now. But we are appealing to all admirers of Dickens and lovers of the Museum to consider donating now. Your generosity will help to ensure that we can re-open again and be ready for the next stage of our journey.

As ever, thank you for your understanding, warmth and support. Good wishes to all of you and yours, and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Cindy Sughrue

Director

November 2020

"We must meet reverses boldly, and not suffer them to frighten us We must live misfortune down. "

April 2020

Like everybody else, we were stopped in our tracks when we were forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet, unlike many other cultural organisations that receive ongoing funding from the government, the Charles Dickens Museum is an independent charity, conceived as self-funding from the start, 95 years ago. This means we must earn every penny we need to look after Dickenss house and the world-class collection that brings Dickens and his work to life. We rely on our visitors coming through the Doughty Street front door to ensure that the Museum continues to exist.

When we were forced to close, its fair to say that we were in the middle of something of a purple patch; we had just announced the acquisition of a wealth of Dickens rarities that we are eager to share; we had installed the eagle-eyed lost portrait of Dickens in his study following its disappearance for 170 years; and we were on the verge of opening a new exhibition that would present the image and reveal the character of the man more vividly than has ever been possible. And public interest in Dickens is as strong as ever, perhaps even more so now, as we seek solace in literature and the distraction of a great storyteller.

Like Dickens, we are unable to stay still; although the Museum is closed, his Grade I-listed home needs constant attention, and our unrivalled, precious collections need care and conservation. While we have been forced to reduce to a skeleton staff, the Museums work to preserve Dickenss legacy has to continue, in spite of the fact that no money is coming in.

We are utterly aware of the pressure on people, businesses and institutions everywhere and the circumstances under which everybody is living now; however, we are appealing to all admirers of Dickens and lovers of the Museum to consider donating now. We need to raise £30,000 each month to cover the basic costs of looking after Dickens's house and the collection it holds.

Your generosity will help to ensure that the door of 48 Doughty Street (and yes its his original door) will be able to swing open again to welcome visitors back to Dickens's home.

If you or someone you know is able to help, please donate. Thank you very much, as ever, for your understanding, warmth and support. Good wishes to all of you and all of yours. We look forward to seeing you as soon as we can.

Dr Cindy Sughrue

Director