The British Library has revealed its major exhibitions for 2026, promising a year filled with wonder, mystery, and storytelling magic. Visitors will step into the enchanting worlds of fairy tales in

the spring, and later in the year, uncover the extraordinary life and legacy of Agatha Christie, the queen of crime fiction.

Alongside these headline shows in London, families in Leeds can also look forward to a free interactive experience designed especially for children, bringing stories to life through play, imagination, and discovery.

Fairy Tales

27 March – 23 August 2026

British Library, 96 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DB

Step into a land of “once upon a time” as the British Library’s Fairy Tales exhibition celebrates the timeless stories that have captured imaginations for centuries. From Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel to Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, visitors will rediscover the heroes, villains, and magical creatures that shaped childhoods around the world.

The exhibition invites families to wander through enchanted forests, glittering palaces, and the pages of pop-up books, manuscripts, illustrations, costumes, and puppets. Along the way, discover how fairy tales have travelled across continents and cultures—retold by the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, and Hans Christian Andersen, as well as through stories from India, China, Africa, and North America.

Interactive activities and immersive displays will highlight why these tales continue to thrive, offering plenty of moments for children and grown-ups to explore together.

Supported by Wayland Games.

Agatha Christie

30 October 2026 – 20 June 2027

British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB

Autumn 2026 marks 50 years since the death of Agatha Christie, the world’s best-selling novelist. To celebrate her enduring influence, the British Library will host its most in-depth exhibition yet on the legendary writer.

Timed to coincide with the centenary of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd—a groundbreaking Poirot novel that transformed crime fiction—the exhibition will take visitors inside Christie’s creative world. Expect to see her personal notebooks, manuscript drafts, dictaphone recordings, and even objects from her daily life that sparked story ideas.

The show will also trace her far-reaching interests, from archaeology to pharmacology, while spotlighting the creation of iconic characters like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Visitors will discover how Christie adapted her work for the stage, inspired generations of writers, and continues to captivate readers and audiences worldwide.

Developed with support from Agatha Christie Limited and The Christie Archive Trust.

Story Explorers

19 February – 31 May 2026

Leeds Central Library, Calverley Street, Leeds, LS1 3AB

Families in Leeds are invited to embark on an imaginative adventure with Story Explorers—a free, hands-on experience co-created by the British Library and Leeds Libraries.

Children aged 2–9 (and their grown-ups) can dive into stories that take them from outer space to the jungle to the ocean floor. Along the way, they’ll encounter books, artefacts, sounds, and art inspired by collections from Leeds Museums and Galleries and the British Library.

This playful, interactive space is designed to spark creativity and show how storytelling connects cultures and communities.

Supported by The BAND Trust and The Klein Family Foundation.

Photo by Christine Matthews / British Library, London WC1 / CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia commons.