Any trip to Portsmouth must include a celebration of its most famous cultural residents. Charles Dickens' Birthplace Museum is open from April to September, while at Portsmouth City Museum, A Study in Sherlock you can find an extraordinary collection of artefacts relating to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Explore the author's life and his favourite character through interactive displays, a new Sherlock mystery and narration by Stephen Fry, patron of the collection.
Modern crime-fiction fans aren't left out. At CSI Portsmouth they can join bestselling authors, police and crime experts to hear how authors write their crime novels and have their fingerprints taken at this hands-on event (2 November) .
Early in 2013 the new Mary Rose Museum will open, reuniting the hull of the Tudor warship with artefacts recovered from the Solent seabed. The £35m heritage project will be the jewel in the crown of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, which is also home to HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the National Museum of the Royal Navy.
A more theatrical version of the city's history can be found at the New Theatre Royal on 18 February. Ill Wind will transport you to 1545, when the Mary Rose sank and the streets of Portsmouth were alive with groggy sailors and hopeful lovers. The production consists of four plays performed simultaneously in different locations around the theatre. The New Theatre Royal is just one of several venues that bring top talent to the city and, on 6 March, it hosts An Evening with Sandi Toksvig. The comedian, novelist, actor and broadcaster is a big supporter of the city and was recently appointed chancellor of the University of Portsmouth.
For more cultural highlights, go to visitportsmouth.co.uk.
