How to Plan a Day at the Horniman Museum and Gardens

Named after the Victorian tea trader Frederick John Horniman, who began collecting natural history specimens in the 1860s, the Horniman Museum and accompanying Gardens aim to widen appreciation for the World around us. Horniman wanted to bring the bits of the world he had seen to Forest Hill, London and opened up his house to the general public so they could benefit from his collection. When room ran out at his home, Horniman commissioned an architect to build the museum that stands now.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Reach the Museums easily by train from Central London to Forest Hill station, from where the museum is a short walk, use the limited free parking around the museum site, or make use of the Pay and Display carpark close by. The Museum is open daily from 10.30 to 5.30 pm and admission is free. The Gardens are open from about 7am until sunset. Both Museum and Gardens are closed for Christmas.

2. Marvel at the 350,000 pieces that make up the impressive Horniman collections. The museum participates in active fieldwork and is constantly adding to the assortment of books, instruments and natural history specimens that are already housed there.

3. Enjoy the third most significant collection of anthropological artefacts in the UK at the Horniman Museum. There are about 80,000 objects giving insights into the lives of people all around the world.

4. Marvel at the Horniman Museum’s huge collection of over 7,000 musical instruments, from Egyptian ‘clappers’ to modern day synthesisers and electric guitars.

5. See the Horniman Natural History collections which hold about 250,000 specimens from the animal and plant worlds. The Horniman has a particularly sizeable group of insect specimens.

6. Stroll through 16 acres of beautiful landscape in the Horniman Gardens. Highlights of the well kept gardens include the bandstand dating back to 1912 (where music performances are held in the summer months), the sundial which uses your shadow to tell the time and the animal enclosure complete with turkeys, goats, rabbits and a nature trail.

7. Visit the Horniman Library to benefit from thousands of volumes and journals on anthropology, musical instruments and natural history. The library is actually kept within a specially constructed ecologically friendly building, built out of environmentally friendly and reused materials.

8. Take a look at the Horniman’s packed calendar of special events and exhibitions. These range from musical performances in the conservatory to African storytelling workshops for children and Salsa dance courses for adults.

9. Grab a lunch from a selection of hot and cold snacks and drinks in the Horniman’s small café overlooking the gardens or take your own and enjoy it sitting on the benches surrounding the lovely bandstand.

Tips & Warnings

• The stunning conservatory at the Horniman Museum is available for private hire for parties and wedding receptions.
• If you’re interested in helping with the upkeep of the Horniman Museum, become a Gardens Volunteer. You will get to work once a month with the Horniman Gardens staff to learn exactly what it takes to look after 16 acres of land.

Resources

• Horniman Museum