Dickens of a boost as museum to get £2m

The Charles Dickens Museum, based in the house where he wrote The Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist, has been awarded the money to help house more than 10,000 books, documents and manuscripts relating to his life.

Dickens lived in the townhouse in Doughty Street, Bloomsbury, central London, from 1837 to 1839 and there penned the novels which launched him to national fame.

After the success of The Pickwick Papers, he and his family moved on to larger quarters near Regent's Park and the house was converted into a museum in 1925.

He wrote from a study on the second floor and the room still contains the desk he used throughout his career.

The grant will be used to double the current exhibition space and help restore the building to better recreate the original 19th century atmosphere.

Fund chairman Dame Jenny Abramsky described the museum as a "gem in the heart of London".

She said the 2m from the fund would help radically transform not just the building itself but "the way people experience and learn about this internationally revered literary master""

Museum Manager Shannon Hermes said: "For us it is a very positive decision and the funds are very much needed to restore the museum and ensure it continues to stay open and houses Dickens's work."