Horniman Museum

The Horniman, through its collections and related exhibitions and events, seeks to encourage a wider appreciation of the World, its peoples and their cultures, and its environments.  

Victorian tea trader Frederick Horniman began collecting specimens and artefacts from around the World in the 1860's. Horniman's key mission was to bring the world to Forest Hill and he opened part of his family home to the public so they could view the riches he had collected. As his collections increased they outgrew the family home and in 1898 Horniman commissioned Charles Harrison Townsend to design a new Museum.The Museum opened in 1901 and was given with the surrounding land to the people of London for their 'recreation, instruction and enjoyment'. The original collections comprised natural history specimens, cultural artefacts and musical instruments. Over the last 100 years the Museum has added significantly to the original bequest with Horniman's original collections comprising only 10 per cent of current ethnography and musical instrument holdings.

Further buildings were added to the original during the course of the last century notably in 1911 when a new building was donated by Frederick's son Emslie. The Centenary Development, which doubled its display area and created a new cafe, indoor square and temporary exhibition gallery, opened in June 2002. The Aquarium, showcasing diverse environments and wildlife from a Fijian reef to the British seashore opened in 2006.  The Horniman sits in 16 acres of beautiful Gardens which offer panoramic views of London.    

For more information on events at the Horniman Museum, visit: www.horniman.ac.uk