The Sherlock Holmes

[2] The displays in The Sherlock Holmes grew out of the Festival of Britain of 1951, when Marylebone Public Library, with the support of the Abbey National (which had its headquarters on the purported site of 221B Baker Street), decided to create an exhibition[6] based on the fictional detective.

Its owners, Whitbread & Co., were fortunate to be able to purchase the entire Festival of Britain Sherlock Holmes exhibit after it returned from a world tour,[1][8] including New York where it was displayed at the Plaza Galleries.

[7] The idea was to install the exhibit in its own permanent home in a theme pub in the centre of London where it would appeal to Holmes enthusiasts from around the world who visited that city.

[3] The displays in the bars include theatre posters, Dr Watson's old service revolver, political cartoons and the stuffed and mounted head of the Hound of the Baskervilles.

[3][7][8][10] Over the years the exhibits in the downstairs bar areas have been augmented with photographs of the actors who have played Holmes and Watson since the original display was set up.