Museums · West Midlands
Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum
In or near Lichfield.
Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum — a Grade I-listed museum in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
Stephen McKay — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Best time of year
- Year-round
- Nearest railway station
- Lichfield City · 0.4 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
The Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum is located at postcode WS13 6LG in Lichfield, Staffordshire, and is accessible via Lichfield City railway station, which is 0.4 km away. Admission to the museum is free, but wheelchair access is limited.
About
Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum is a Grade I-listed building in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom. Grade I status is conferred by Historic England (or Cadw, Historic Environment Scotland or NIEA equivalents) on buildings of exceptional national interest. See the linked Wikipedia article for full historical and architectural details.
Photo gallery
Official information
The Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum is located in Lichfield, the childhood home of the renowned writer Samuel Johnson. The museum features five floors of exhibits that showcase Johnson's life and works, including a collection of over 8,000 items related to his legacy and 18th century Lichfield.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Stowe Pool and Walk Mill Clay Pit SSSI
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum is a biographical museum and bookshop located in the centre of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, in England. The building is a Grade I listed building situated at the corner of Market Street and Breadmarket Street opposite the market square. The museum opened in 1901 and is dedicated to the life and works of the author and lexicographer Samuel Johnson who wrote the first authoritative Dictionary of the English Language. Johnson's father built the house in 1707 and Samuel was born in the house on 18 September 1709 and spent the majority of his first 27 years in the house before leaving for London in 1737. The house was used as a commercial property for various trades between the time of Johnson's death in 1784 until the house was bought for the city by John Gilbert in 1900 for the purpose of retaining the building as a museum to Johnson. The house remains in active use as a museum.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Architecture
The house was built on the corner of Breadmarket Street and Market Street in 1707 by Johnson's father, Michael. The house is built of timber frame and brick infill, now covered in stucco. The front of the house faces onto the Market Square and on this side the upper storeys are jettied outwards over the ground floor. As built this projecting front was supported at each end by a plain pillar, these continued upwards on the corners of the upper storeys by pilasters of the Ionic order. The facing of the house was red brown brick and the roof tiles were blue black. In the 18th century two central pillars were added and one was removed in the late 19th century. In the 19th century the pilasters…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 52.6835, -1.8279
- County
- Staffordshire
- District
- Lichfield
- Parish
- Lichfield
- Postcode
- WS13 6LG
- Parliamentary constituency
- Lichfield
- Phone
- 01543 264972
- Established
- 1707
- Annual visitors
- ~16,000/year
- Nearest railway station
- Lichfield City — 0.4 km
- Opening
- 1 March – 31 October 10.30am-4.30pm; 1 November – 28 February 11.00am-3.30pm
- Official site
- www.samueljohnsonbirthplace.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q7411865 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum?
- Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum is in Staffordshire, the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode WS13 6LG), in the parish of Lichfield.
- What is Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum?
- Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum — a Grade I-listed museum in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum?
- The nearest railway station is Lichfield City, about 0.4 km away. Drivers can use postcode WS13 6LG.
- When was Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum built?
- Built or established in 1707.
- Is Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum a listed building?
- Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum is officially recognised as Grade I listed.
- Is Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum a protected site?
- Yes — Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum is part of the Stowe Pool and Walk Mill Clay Pit SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum free to visit?
- Yes, Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum is free to enter.
- How do I get to Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum?
- The nearest railway station is Lichfield City, about 0.4 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode WS13 6LG.