Writers Revealed: Treasures from the British Library and National Portrait Gallery, London

In a world-first, some of the most iconic literary treasures from the British Library and London’s National Portrait Gallery have touched down at HOTA as part of blockbuster exhibition Writers Revealed: Treasures from the British Library and National Portrait Gallery, London

The one-of-a-kind exhibition experience brings together over 100 rare manuscripts and portraits from literary legends like William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, William Blake, Virginia Woolf, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Lewis Carroll, Sir Kazuo Ishiguro and Zadie Smith – many of which have never been seen outside the UK. Structured in five thematic sections, the exhibition spans 500 years of authorship, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of iconic English-language writers through their original works and portraits. You’ll get up close with artefacts like the only known portrait of Shakespeare created in his lifetime, a handwritten draft of Dracula, John Milton’s original Paradise Lost publishing contract, and a portrait of Jane Austen drawn by her sister.

The Writers Revealed experience goes beyond the gallery walls with a rich program of events. Step into Jane Austen’s world at Picnic at Pemberley, a Regency-inspired afternoon of live music and literary nostalgia on the Outdoor Stage lawn, which will be brought to life with help from The Abbey Museum. Over the exhibition’s four-month run, In Conversation events will feature writer David Burton and beloved podcasters Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb, as they share personal reflections on the books and authors that shaped them.

For a sensory twist, literary fans can indulge in a six-course tasting menu at HOTA’s hatted restaurant, Palette, inspired by the works of Austen, Tolkien, Woolf and Carroll. Plus, for the duration of the exhibition, the Palette terrace will be transformed into a whimsical garden with Perrier Jouet Champagne and a newly launched high-tea offering with English classics.