This is the only one of the many London houses Charles Dickens (1812-70) inhabited that's still standing, and it would have had a real claim to his fame in any case because he wrote Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby and finished Pickwick Papers here between 1837 and 1839. The house looks exactly as it would have in Dickens's day, complete with first editions, letters, and a tall clerk's desk (where the master wrote standing up, often while chatting with visiting friends and relatives). "By Dickens!" (a previous generation's exclamation of surprise for "you don't say")-if it is "by him" or anything to do with him, then you can find it here, as this museum is a world authority on the great man. There's a treat for Lionel Bart fans -- his score of Oliver! Down in the basement is a replica of the Dingley Dell kitchen from Pickwick Papers. A program of changing special exhibitions gives insight into the Dickens family and the author's works, with sessions where, for instance, you can try your own hand with a quill pen. Christmas is a memorable time to visit, as the rooms are decorated in traditional style: better than any televised costume drama, this is the real thing. COST: £4. Tube: Chancery La. or Russell Sq.