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Jane Austen’s 250th Birthday Caps Year of Celebrations and Tourism Surge

Renewed interest stems from popular adaptations alongside scholars foregrounding her innovative narrative technique.

Overview

  • Jane Austen House Museum concluded a year-long anniversary program on December 16 with a virtual birthday event and in-person activities after reporting a sharp rise in visitors in 2025.
  • Strictly Jane Austen Tours in Bath said this year’s festival events sold out weeks in advance, with larger parades and strong bookings already scheduled into spring and autumn 2026.
  • New York’s Grolier Club opened “Paper Jane: 250 Years of Austen,” a major exhibition running through February that features more than 100 books, letters, posters and other artifacts.
  • The British embassy in Argentina marked the 250th with a period-dress ball and afternoon tea, where the ambassador highlighted Austen’s six novels and enduring themes.
  • Literary experts, including John Mullan and Jannie Batchelor, cited Austen’s psychological depth and early use of free indirect discourse as key to her cross-generational appeal.