About
The Horniman Museum and Gardens is one of London's most distinctive museums, founded in 1901 by Victorian tea trader Frederick Horniman to share his eclectic collections with the public. This award-winning museum houses over 350,000 objects spanning natural history, musical instruments, and world cultures in a magnificent Art Nouveau building.
Famous for its overstuffed walrus, the museum offers quirky Victorian taxidermy, one of the UK's most important musical instrument collections, ethnographic treasures from around the world, and a beautiful aquarium.
Set in 16 acres of award-winning gardens with stunning views across London, it's a unique South London treasure.
Categories:
Annual Visitors (2022)
565,000
Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Busiest: Saturday, Sunday
💡 Weekday mornings or summer evenings for gardens
💡 Visitor Tips
- Don't miss the overstuffed walrus - it's become an internet celebrity and Instagram favorite
- The gardens have stunning panoramic views of London - bring a camera
- Visit the Hands On Base to touch real objects from the collection
- The aquarium requires a separate ticket (£5) but is worth it, especially for children
- Gardens are free and open earlier than museum - great for morning walks
- Combine with a walk around Forest Hill - there are nice cafés and independent shops nearby
Highlights
The Overstuffed Walrus
The Horniman's most famous resident - a Victorian taxidermy walrus stuffed without knowledge of what walruses really looked like, resulting in a delightfully rotund and wrinkled specimen that has become an internet sensation.
The Music Gallery
One of the UK's most important collections with over 8,000 musical instruments from around the world. Interactive displays let you hear instruments from every continent and era.
The Aquarium
Award-winning aquarium featuring 15 displays from coral reefs to British coastlines, rainforest rivers to deep sea. Home to jellyfish, seahorses, clownfish, and more.
The World Gallery
Anthropology collection exploring cultures from Africa, Asia, Americas, and the Pacific. Includes masks, textiles, weapons, religious objects, and everyday items from around the world.
Collections
The Horniman holds over 350,000 objects spanning natural history, anthropology, and musical instruments. The Natural History collection includes 82,000 specimens from taxidermy to fossils. The Music collection features 8,000+ instruments from across the world, one of the UK's most important.
The Anthropology collection holds 90,000 objects representing cultures from Africa, Asia, Americas, Oceania, and Europe. There's also a significant archive relating to Frederick Horniman, the tea trade, and South London history.
Natural History Gallery
Victorian-style displays of animals, fossils, and natural specimens including the famous overstuffed walrus
📍 Ground Floor
World Gallery: Culture & Belief
Anthropology collection exploring global cultures, beliefs, and traditions
📍 Ground Floor
Music Gallery
8,000+ musical instruments from around the world with interactive audio displays
📍 First Floor
The Aquarium
15 aquatic displays from coral reefs to British rivers
📍 Lower Ground Floor
The Gardens
16 acres including sunken garden, animal walk, bandstand, and nature trail
📍 Outdoors
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.
Nearby Museums (5 within 6 miles)
Dulwich Picture Gallery
London — ~24 min walk (1.3 mi)
Goldsmiths Textile Collection & Constance Howard Gallery
Art & Design
London — ~54 min walk (2.8 mi)