British Library, lunch, Virginia Woolf and some of London's best book shops

We will visit the British Library, followed by a lunch, some of London's quirkiest bookshops and, if there is interest, the Charles Dickens Museum.

It's time to check out some of London's most incredible book-connected sites.

We will first visit The British Library and join the 11am tour: 'Introduction to the Treasures of the British Library'. After getting lunch nearby we will visit some literary landmarks and a collection of London's quirkiest bookshops. We'll follow this with a drink at one of London's most loved pubs, a Grade II listed gem, finishing with a trip to the Charles Dickens Museum.

Note that the British Library is one of those rare things, a Grade I listed 20th century building and "the UK’s largest, most expensive, and arguably most controversial public building of the 20th century". (see: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jul/31/british-library-awarded-grade-i-listed-building-status)

All elements of the visit are optional. I have set the 10am start to allow you to undertake any other activity that you may wish to do while at the Library, before we join the 11am tour.

I will likely be requesting a couple of hard-to-find books to the Reading Room before joining the Treasures of the British Library tour at 11am. Please note that if you wish to use the Reading Rooms, access the collection or order an item for collection you will need a (free) Reader's Pass. These can only be acquired in person from the Library.

The Treasures of the British Library tour is £10 and you can book here: https://www.seetickets.com/event/treasures-tour/british-library/3132223

Everything else at the library is free but after you will need lunch money, pub money and £12.50 for the Dickens Museum.

The aproximate schedule will be:

10:00 arrive at the Infomation Desk of the Library
11:00 back at the Information Desk to leave for the Treasures of the British Library tour
12:00ish leave the Library and head out for lunch
13:30 Bloomsbury's most interesting book shops
15:00ish visit to Grade II listed pub, one of London's treasures
16:00 Charles Dickens Museum
17:00 finis

Be sure to book your own tickets to the Library tour and Dickens Museum.