3 Best Sights in Bloomsbury, London

This is one of the few London houses Charles Dickens (1812–70) inhabited that is still standing, and it's the place where he wrote Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby. The five-story Georgian house looks exactly as it would have in Dickens's day, complete with first editions, letters, and a tall clerk's desk (Dickens wrote standing up). Catch the once-a-month fascinating Housemaid's Tour (£15) in which you're taken back in time to 1839 by Dickens's housemaid, who reveals the private lives of the great author and his family; note that it must be booked in advance. The Artful Tea Room—named after Oliver Twist's iconic Artful Dodger—serves up cream teas, soups, and delicious quiche.

Tucked inside the imposing Royal College of Surgeons, this museum is part homage to celebrated 18th-century Scottish anatomist John Hunter and part exploration of surgery's evolution from its primitive, morally dubious origins to the lifesaver it is today. The sheer volume—and strangeness—of the exhibits on display can feel overwhelming, but pace yourself and your curiosity will be amply rewarded. Everywhere you turn something catches the eye: from Victorian-era prosthetic noses to an unexpectedly glamorous amputation case from the 1700s (in which the grisly instruments are inlaid in red velvet lining, to the simply enormous molar tooth of an Asian elephant. But be warned, the museum's centerpiece—Hunter's vast collection of body parts and organs suspended in jars of formaldehyde—is not for the squeamish.

If you fancy something unconventional, sample this collection by U.S. pharmaceutical millionaire and philanthropist Henry Wellcome (1853–1936), which explores the connections between medicine, life, and art (some exhibits may not be suitable for younger children). Comprising an estimated 1 million items, the collection includes Napoléon's elegant silver gilt–handled toothbrush, Horatio Nelson's razor, and Charles Darwin's walking stick. There are also anatomical models, Peruvian mummies, and Japanese sex toys, as well as a fascinating permanent exhibition, "Being Human." Keep an eye out for an original Picasso in the lobby just above the entrance when you enter.