When it comes to authors who are household names, they don’t come much bigger than Agatha Christie. In fact, the storytelling giant that has given us the tales of Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot, and more is the bestselling novelist of all time, one who is well worthy of a significant exhibition dedicated entirely to her.
And that is exactly what’s coming, with a major exhibition on Agatha Christie landing at the British Library next year. You’ll be able to see the deep look into the crime writer’s life, characters, and much more from October 30, 2026.
What can we expect to see at the British Library’s Agatha Christie exhibition?
Next year marks 50 years since Agatha Christie passed awayand the exhibition at the British Library will celebrate her life and stories by going behind the books to explore how her interests, experiences and travels influenced her tales.
Lovers of the written word and her stories will be able to see a vast array of artefacts at the display, including her Remington typewriter from 1937, which is thought to be what Agatha Christie used to write And Then There Were Noneamong other works.
The exhibition also comes at the 100-year mark of the publication of The Murder Of Roger Ackroydthe third to feature Poirot, as well as a half-century since Sleeping Murderthe final Miss Marple tale. Across the display, visitors will be able to view notebooks and personal letters and even listen to dictaphone recordings to gain an understanding of the inspiration for her stories.
You’ll be able to view her typescript of House of Beauty, the first short story she wrote as a teenager, plus her notes for the Witness For The Prosecution theatre adaptationand letters to her familywhich include a note to her husband about her journey on the Orient Express. Also featured in the exhibition will be photographs of her travels & family photographs, with trips to Egypt, Hawaii, and Southern Africa on display.
A section of the Agatha Christie exhibition will delve into how her stories have influenced crime writing during her life and right up to the present day for contemporary authors. This part will also look at how her tales have been adapted to the stage and screen, with an examination of the wide-reaching impact they continue to have.
Speaking on the news, Jamie Andrews, Director of Public Engagement at the British Library, said: “Next year marks 50 years since the death of Agatha Christie, the most famous crime writer of all time and we’re honoured to be working with The Christie Archive Trust and Agatha Christie Limited on this very special exhibition to mark her legacy.
“This will be the biggest exhibition held in the UK in the last 20 years to celebrate Christie’s writing and will feature items from our own collection, lenders and the Trust, including material never displayed before. The exhibition will take visitors back to Christie’s childhood and explore her journey to becoming an iconic writer, while celebrating how adaptions of her novels for stage and screen continue to enthral audiences today.”
The Agatha Christie exhibition opens at the British Library on October 30, 2026, running until June 20, 2027. Details for tickets are due to follow. You can find out more about it on the British Library’s website.
