Victorian (1837 – 1901)
Explore objects, stories and blogs illuminating an era defined by the 63-year monarchy of Queen Victoria.
Blogs-And-Stories
Mounting Queen Victoria’s mourning dress
How do you display a fragile costume that’s over 100 years old?
Who was Charles Dickens?
19th-century London’s most celebrated writer gave us Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol
Executions and death-penalty reforms in Britain
How 18th-century British reformers questioned capital punishment and the fight continues today
Jack the Ripper
How the tragic murders of five women birthed an infamous East End crime story
How Charles Booth mapped London poverty
And showed the complexity of social class in the late 19th century
Mudlarks: Rescuing relics from the River Thames
From prehistoric blades to sacred relics, historical artefacts found on the shores of the Thames
Millicent Fawcett: Suffragist, not Suffragette
Meet a leader of the law-abiding votes for women campaign
Christmas Quiz: How good is your Christmas trivia?
Take our Christmas Quiz to find out how much you know about this annual festival
The long reign of Queen Victoria
Ruling for 63 years, Victoria witnessed rapid changes in British society, culture and industry
5 things about Smithfield Market you might not know
What connects London’s iconic Smithfield Market to the Sydney Opera House?
Steeped in history: Tea drinking in Britain
The history of tea in Britain is deeply entwined with colonial histories of sugar and the East India Co.
Horsemonger Lane Jail
Where rooftop executions became a violent Southwark spectacle
The queen’s chatelaine bag
Tracing the origins of three royal accessories with Medieval roots
What were London’s pleasure gardens?
For dancing, drinking, glamour and debauchery, there was nothing quite like the pleasure garden
The Metropolitan Police: From 1829 to today
Two hundred years of policing London
A big night out at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens
Discover the exciting new entertainment on offer to Londoners in the 1700s and 1800s
Who are the pearly kings and queens?
Since the late 1800s, pearlies have donned their button-covered regalia to raise money for charity