Back in 2017, the Powerhouse Museum hosted The International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes. It was the exhibition’s first tour outside North America and appealed to Sherlock and pop culture fans, visitors with an interest in science and history and budding sleuths ready to solve their next case.
Visitors were able to glimpse into the genius of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the mastermind behind one of the most famous detectives in the known world, Sherlock Holmes.
“Sherlock Holmes is the most influential character in fiction, encouraging entire generations to demand truth through the use of science. These influences have brought many young inquisitive minds into the field of forensic science and many more into all sciences, searching for clarity in our often foggy world,” said exhibition creator Geoffrey M. Curley
The exhibition featured over 350 objects including: original manuscripts and first editions, the world’s most accurate recreations of 221B Baker Street, the home of Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick Watson, and a comprehensive display of Sherlock pop culture items since his creation 127 years ago.
The exhibition featured five galleries:
Dr. Conan Doyle’s Study
Conan Doyle, a scientifically educated physician, was a curious and tireless investigator his entire life. Discover his world first, as a medical student at Edinburgh University, then as an apprentice at Royal Surgeons’ Hall, next as a practicing physician in Southsea, Portsmouth, and finally as a creator of literary genius who moved to London in the early 1890s and became a full-time author. The display included an original manuscript, letters, and illustrations through which guests could gain perspective on the experiences that influenced Conan Doyle in creating Sherlock Holmes.- Science and History
Visitors were able to participate in experiments by exploring the developments in science and technology in the 1890s — developments that are still highly relevant today. Supported by forensics expert and crime historian E. J. Wagner, author of The Science of Sherlock Holmes, the exhibition digs into real forensic studies in order to demonstrate the link between the Sherlock Holmes stories, detective science and the world of today.
- Sherlock Holmes in Baker Street
Visit Sherlock Holmes’ and Dr. Watson’s sitting room at 221B Baker Street, London, where their investigations began and concluded – a room looming large in popular imagination around the globe ever since the first Sherlock Holmes tale, A Study in Scarlet, in 1887. - Become a Detective
With a book full of clues, visitors could use their powers of observation to crack a new Sherlock Holmes mystery written exclusively for this exhibition by Daniel Stashower, the acclaimed writer and award-winning Conan Doyle biographer.
- Culture of Sherlock
The exhibition’s final gallery, housed an extensive collection of all things “Sherlockian,” ranging from vintage Sherlock Holmes-themed card games, comics, and magazines, to radio scripts, and movie and television show props and costumes. The exhibition offers up the most comprehensive display anywhere of Sherlock Holmes as portrayed in popular imagination over the last 127 years since his creation.
It was great seeing young and old visitors alike, putting on their detective hats and going around the interactive displays to gather clues to solve the mystery. It was also a wonderful opportunity for volunteers and Visitor Services staff to engage with guests on another level; to assist with unlocking the clues to help visitors crack the case.
Theresa Foster
Volunteer Program Officer