The biggest disappointment of childhood is the fact that in nature there is no good Santa Claus. And the biggest disappointment in London will be the fact that Sherlock Holmes - the best detective of all time - never lived on 221-b Baker Street. Firstly, because it is a fictional character that does not have real prototypes. And secondly, because for the period of the detective’s life (the last two decades of the nineteenth century), the numbering of buildings on this street ended in one hundred.
The popularity of the detective, invented by Conan Doyle, is so great that sometimes it seems more famous than members of the royal family of the British Empire. And, of course, in the world there is more than one museum of this hero. So where is the Sherlock Holmes Museum? The answer is not at all obvious. Yes, it is located on the world famous street on Baker Street, but the house has a number not 221-b, but 239. The London Museum, dedicated to the legendary detective, was opened in 1990. The building itself was erected much earlier - in 1815, so it has the features of the time in which Holmes "lived". A known address does not exist today at all. In the British capital, there is only Baker Street, 215-229, which houses the Abbey National Building Society, the company that funded the installation of the monument to Sherlock Holmes.
The door of the establishment is proudly decorated with a plate with the inscription Baker Street, 221-b, but this is just an advertising move by which they deceive unsuspecting tourists. In order to place the wrong address on the facade of the building, the founders had to register the company 221-b Ltd.
So, where is the Sherlock Holmes Museum, sorted out. Although many connoisseurs call the detective's more likely place of residence another house, more suitable for the description of Mrs. Hudson's boarding house. Opposite him is the Empty House No. 32, from where Colonel Moran was aiming from a blowgun at the window of Watson and Holmes living room. But it’s probably hard to say what exactly Conan Doyle described in his work, since Baker Street was badly damaged during the Second World War.
Sherok Holmes is often depicted in a plaid hat and lionfish. However, such clothes were not worn by London residents, only peasants dressed in it. According to the stories, the detective preferred a frock coat and a tweed suit, to which a butterfly and a snow-white collar necessarily joined. Many will be surprised that the winged expression of the detective "Elementary, Watson" does not occur at all in the stories of A.K. Doyle. It was invented in the thirties of the last century by the authors of the radio show.
Fans of the detective genre are not only interested in where the Sherlock Holmes Museum is located, but also why the author gave his character an Irish name. At that time, the Irish were associated with terrorists, so it would be difficult for a detective to win the recognition and trust of the prim British. However, this remains a mystery.
Today in the museum you can see many artifacts related to Sherlock Holmes and his "activities". For example, the living room, fireplace, detective’s office were recreated according to descriptions. Opposite the house, today you can ride the streets of London on a cab - the hero’s favorite transport.
Remember where the Sherlock Holmes Museum is located and go there to follow the trail of the best detective on the planet.