It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of England’s most beloved authors.
Tuesday 16 December marked the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth: an occasion commemorated by museums across the country.
In Chawton, Hampshire, where Austen lived for the final eight years of her life, revising and re-publishing six of her novels, Jane Austen’s House marked the day with a series of special events. Visitors could have a silhouette portrait made of themselves, or watch a performance of Yours Ever, Jane, a play based on the contents of Austen’s fictional works and her surviving letters.
Lizzie Dunford, director of Jane Austen’s House, said: “Readers come back to Jane Austen’s novels again and again throughout their lives, meaning that we have a very broad demographic of visitors, which has always included a higher than might be expected proportion of young adults.
“We are deeply aware of our role as a site of pilgrimage and inspiration. Throughout our 2025 birthday programming, our focus has been on joy, and ensuring that we build a platform for future years, rather than a pinnacle. Jane Austen is for life, not just 2025.”
In Bath, the Jane Austen Centre hosted an evening of dramatic readings from her novels, enacted by actors in Regency attire. And No.1 Crescent, a Georgian townhouse museum, offered free guided tours of the property, examining what domestic life might have looked and felt like for the writer.
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The National Maritime Museum in London has launched a special exhibition centred around Austen’s connection to the Royal Navy. Manuscripts relating to her youngest brothers, Francis and Charles Austen, who both served in the Navy, will be displayed. Austen drew on their experiences for inspiration, most notably in Mansfield Park and Persuasion.
Brighton’s Royal Pavilion is marking the anniversary through A Very Austen Christmas (until 4 January), with visitors transported to a Regency-inspired festive world complete with characters such as Mr Darcy, the Bennet sisters, Emma Woodhouse, Marianne Dashwood, Mr Knightley, and Lady Bertram’s pug.
Kate Turnbull, head of marketing at the Royal Pavilions & Museums Trust, said: "Through our Jane Austen themed programme, we hope to welcome new audiences to Brighton & Hove Museums while offering returning visitors fresh and engaging ways to explore our collections and historic sites.
"By bringing together talks, tours and festive experiences, we want to spark curiosity about Regency life and encourage people to see Brighton through the eyes of Jane Austen and her contemporaries."
Austen remains one of Britain’s most enduring authors: she was ranked the eighth most popular writer of all time in YouGov’s 2025 survey, while Penguin readers voted for Pride and Prejudice as their first choice in a list of 100 must-read classics.