If you're the type to be interested in the man who put together the first dictionary of the English…read morelanguage, you won't be disappointed in this place. If you're more the Natural History or iMax type, you may find it a bit lacking.
It's a museum dedicated to Samuel Johnson, and his birthplace of Lichfield, Staffordshire. Even if you've never heard of him, it's a very interesting place, and you'll soon realize that, with all the things he had a hand in, you're a bit embarassed not to have heard of him.
It's set in an old Georgian style, four-storey city centre house. The museum is free, though upon first entering, you come into the bookshop and trinkets section, and I'd encourage you to purchase something, as these things are good to keep around, posterity and all that.
There are exhibits about his childhood, early education and family life on the first floor, and a kitchen much like the one in his family home in the basement.
As you go around the house, there are very nice looking plaques with the humourous and educational quotes of S.J.
There is a short film about his life, which children are particularly interested in, and a children's section that explains the dictionary a bit better.
All throughout the house there are cases full of presents he received, things he owned, and excellent examples of the 18th century dress and lifestyle, including wigs, tea sets, books, mirrors and clothing.
The dictionary is given its own dedicated room, as it should, and that's all very interesting if you are into words, which I am.
All in all, it's a great way to soak up some history, but not some rain, and to learn a bit about Staffordshire and a very intriguing man in British history.
