PIN The Horniman Museum

Forest Hill`s Famous Establishment

The Horniman Museum is a free museum in Forest Hill and is home to a large collection of anthropology, natural history, geo-art and ancient musical instruments. There also a variety of special exhibitions, concerts, festivals, shows, workshops and activities throughout the year

The Horniman serves up an anthropological museum within 16 acres of landscaped gardens,.It has a traditional natural history gallery – dominated by a famously bizarre, overstuffed walrus – and exhibits are displayed in traditional cases with no computer touch-screens in sight. There is also an aquarium, a permanent gallery dedicated to African, Afro-Caribbean and Brazilian art, and a collection of around 1,600 musical instruments, with an area where people can play some of them. The `At Home with Music` display features historical

History

Queen Victoria’s reign heralded increased living standards in Great Britain and several oportunistic entrepreneurs made their fortunes by selling processed foods to new customer bases who could now afford them. Philanthropic business-men like Harry Selfridge, Henry Tate and Frederick John Horniman dispensed their own brand of trade and social awareness in the London area

Not unlike the pharmaceutical entrepreneur Henry Wellcome, Horniman took a particular interest in anthropology and travelled internationally collecting ‘natural, industrial and artistic spoils’. He filled his house with his collection and, when his wife could no longer stand the mess, his family moved out and their old home became a museum. Sixteen acres of adjoining gardens were opened to the public soon afterward and Horniman demolished his old house in 1898 to be replaced by the present purpose-built museum.

Todays Horniman Museum is run as a charitable trust and is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and provides extensive facilities for families, including a nature trail, weekend workshops and a hands-on base where children can touch museum objects.

How to get there

By bus:

• 176, 185, 197, 356, P4 - stop outside the Museum and Gardens on London Road
• 122 - stops on Dartmouth Road
• P13 - stops on Underhill Road
• 363 - stops on Sydenham Hill Road

By train / London Overground:

The Horniman is a five to ten minute walk from Forest Hill station and is signposted from the platform 1 exit. Please be aware this walk is uphill, although there are several bus services which stop at both the station and museum .

Forest Hill is on the London Overground line between Highbury and Islington and West Croydon / Crystal Palace line which offers a high frequency service.

The station is also well served by trains from Central London, Croydon and Surrey. Direct train services run from London Bridge (approx every ten minutes, journey time 13 minutes) linking with the Northern and Jubilee lines, and London Victoria linking with the Victoria, Circle and District lines, East Croydon, West Croydon, Sutton, Purley and Caterham.

By bicycle:

There are bicycle racks outside the Museum near the main entrance on London Road.

By car:

Parking is severely limited in local area, so we recommend using public transport to come to the Museum.

A pay-and-display car park is available locally behind Sainsbury’s (see map), and there are two pay-and-display car parks at Forest Hill station (one at the front, one at the back).

Please avoid parking on private roads. For coaches, there is a drop off point outside the Museum near to the Clock Tower.

Owner

Nadia Al-Nasser

Nadia is a student in London studying international development and naturally has a real interest in the development and potential of new areas. She combines this interest with a real love for our exciting city and found TripTide to really align with...