Agatha Christie’s British Library Exhibition: What Mystery Readers Can See

Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery opens at the British Library in London on October 30, 2026, and runs until June 20, 2027. Visitors can explore Christie’s writing and personal life through manuscripts, letters, photographs and objects, including a typewriter associated with And Then There Were None.

For mystery readers, the appeal is the chance to follow the work behind the finished puzzles: the research, journeys and revisions that helped Christie turn everyday observations into crime fiction.

What can visitors see?

The exhibition’s confirmed highlights include:

• A 1937 Remington typewriter, described in the current exhibition listing as purportedly used to compose And Then There Were None and other works.
• Christie’s 1917 pharmaceutical exam notes, offering a connection between her medical knowledge and her mysteries.
• Notes for the stage adaptation of Witness for the Prosecution.
• The typescript of House of Beauty, identified by the organisers as Christie’s first short story, written as a teenager.
• Family photographs and personal letters, including an account of an Orient Express journey.

These objects are listed by Agatha Christie’s official website. For readers interested in how a mystery takes shape, the working papers may be the most revealing exhibits.

Five settings take readers into Christie’s world

The British Library has organised the exhibition around five settings: a country house, a dispensary, a train, an archaeological dig and a theatre.

The country-house section looks at Christie’s early life and writing. The dispensary explores her wartime medical work. An Orient Express-inspired carriage connects her travels with the enclosed settings that make a small group of suspects so compelling.

The dig section turns to her archaeological experiences, while the theatre examines her work for the stage. The Library also promises hidden clues and references for visitors to find.

According to the British Library’s exhibition announcement, more than 100 objects will be displayed, including material that has never previously been exhibited. The exhibition was developed with Agatha Christie Limited and the Christie Archive Trust.

The combination gives readers several ways into the subject. You might arrive interested in Poirot and leave thinking about the practical choices involved in building a plot or adapting a story for an audience.

Why the exhibition is opening in 2026

The exhibition marks 50 years since Christie’s death. Another literary anniversary falls in 2026: the centenary of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, highlighted in the Library’s programme announcement.

That makes this a useful moment to revisit Christie’s craft. A solved mystery invites a second kind of reading: looking back at how information was presented and where your assumptions led you astray. An exhibition of working materials offers a different route into that same curiosity.

Dates, location and tickets

The official exhibition page lists concessions and booking details. Check your selected date for the applicable price and available entry times.

A companion book for readers at home

The accompanying Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery is edited by Lucy Rowland and Martin Edwards, with a foreword by Kenneth Branagh. Christie’s official website says it combines essays and features with rare archive material.

For more reading ideas, explore our Agatha Christie books hub or use our Hercule Poirot books-in-order guide to plan your next mystery.

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• Revisit the novel connected with Christie’s typewriter: Find And Then There Were None on Amazon.
• Explore the courtroom mystery behind the adaptation notes: Find Witness for the Prosecution on Amazon.
• Mark its centenary with a read or reread: Find The Murder of Roger Ackroyd on Amazon.
• Explore the exhibition’s subjects at home: Find Agatha Christie: A World of Mystery on Amazon.

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