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Horniman Museum and Gardens
Museum and Botanical Garden
Forest Hill, London, Greater London, Forest Hill
The experts at Londonist and Michelin Travel & Lifestyle recommend this place
"Lovely view of London from the gardens."(5 Tips)
"fantastic family-friendly museum with beautiful gardens"(4 Tips)
"Awesome musical instrument collection!"(2 Tips)
"... is famous for stuffed animals and musical instruments from around the world, all part of the..."(2 Tips)
73 Tips and reviewsFilter:
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- scenic views
- picnics
- café
- instrument collection
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Great fun to be had by everyone. The aquarium is worth the small fee to enter, and during the summer they have jazz bands playing in the bandstand.
Dug TremellenJune 21, 2015Museum which remains true to its eccentric late Victorian roots, set in beautiful grounds which make the most of the museum's hilltop placing. A perfect summer weekend afternoon
Remi LefevreJune 18, 2015Take a half day to make the most of your visit: both the Museum and its Gardens make a great weekend mini-trip. Extensive collections about animals, including an aquarium, and a great glasshouse café!
AlistairMay 10, 2016The photo exhibition of the Rio favelas is great. The walrus needs no introduction, the gardens are beautiful. The cafe is nice. It's free. I love this museum.
Valentina CoveyMarch 25, 2016Beautiful green space in Forest Hill with sweeping panoramic views of London. Perfect for a picnic or a walk. Family friendly, with lots to do.
Isa SierraJune 14, 2016The Horniman is so poorly taken care of that its kind of charming. It definitely needs a clean (some of the spiders in the shelves are not taxidermy) but the displays are fabulous. Authentic.
- Vic McGinMarch 23, 2015Lovely view of London from the gardens. The music garden is too much fun. And some amazingly weird taxidermy to freak out the kids.
Jon MooreJanuary 29, 2018What a great place to spend the afternoon. The butterfly house was lovely and the grounds are beautiful. Spectacular view of London too!- Stef MattanaJune 30, 2016Go there in spring, it's wonderful! On weekends there's a market at the top of the hill with special food and bio eggs/meat/veg to buy.
Alessia CameraApril 9, 2017Lovely park and little museum on a hill in the South East. Better take a bus from the overground station, to avoid the sloping path.
Gordon SpoonerAugust 20, 2013Great place for children (not so good if you want a quiet day). Brilliant collection of musical instruments, perhaps too many although lighting is poor making it difficult to view in detail.- Franz VitulliJune 9, 2016A fantastic family-friendly museum with beautiful gardens and a great view outside. Another hidden gem in London.
Catherine ReynoldsSeptember 21, 2014see the famous stuffed walrus, the fishes and walk in the garden. go back for the events especially the bat walk and season event!
Michelin Travel & LifestyleSeptember 17, 2013Kids adore the nature trail, aquarium, "Hands On Base" where they can touch museum objects, and "Nature Base" where they can investigate a beehive. - Green Guide Editor
GeorgeOctober 24, 2015Great place to take children of all ages. Lovely farmers market on a Saturday morning with a great view of the city from the hilltop.
Thunder CatDecember 20, 2014The stunning views from the gardens stretch from Wembley to Canary Wharf. The museum is a treasure trove of unusual and interesting artefacts.
Krystel JusticeDecember 26, 2016Best children's museum I have ever attended. Great views of London from the playground.
Martin TiedemannMay 29, 20129 November: Watch Fijian fish at the Aquarium. Visitors are offered the chance to immerse themselves in the underwater worlds of tropical Fijian coral reefs, British pond life, a mangrove swamp etc.
Amazing Food And TravelJune 27, 2015Have been visiting since I was a child. The grounds and the exhibitions are great and lots of them are free.
Neil TurnerJune 7, 2012Have a look at the unusual musical instruments and use the interactive panels to hear how they sounded. The gardens are also nice for a stroll or a picnic.
unlike.netFebruary 22, 2012Part of the Horniman’s charm is the fact that whilst it’s small enough to be manageable in one visit, crucially it’s still interesting enough that there’ll be something new each time you go. Read more
Michael AmbjornAugust 21, 2016Curiosities galore - and amazing views of London from the beautiful gardens.
- Stef MattanaJuly 27, 2016Love the gardens. Make sure to stop by on Saturdays as there's a tiny cozy street market/food
Elizabeth BuckleyApril 6, 2015Beautiful garden, interesting culture museum and musical instruments museum 😊
Ben TaylorFebruary 26, 2018A combination of fossils, live animals, stuffed animals and musical instruments.
The herb garden is amazing. Try to find chocolate mint and pineapple sage.
Be a member. It first cost a lot and you get to visit the exhibitions and aquarium free of charge unlimited for a year- HISTORY UKFebruary 15, 2011This museum is famous for stuffed animals and musical instruments from around the world, all part of the collection of Frederick John Horniman who made his fortune in the 19th century tea trade.
Simon WillisonNovember 10, 2013Cabin in the Woods fans rejoice... hidden within the Horniman's extensive collection is a genuine merman!
There's a sundial trail running through the gardens and conservatory here, showcasing eleven different types of dial. http://www.sundials.co.uk/~hornimn.htm
Beautiful gardens - great for picnics. Nice farmer's market every Sat - the black pudding sausage rolls are the best!
Evening StandardMay 14, 2012One of the most popular displays at the Horniman Museum is a walrus created by a taxidermist who had never actually seen one and, not knowing that they had loose folds of skin, overstuffed it. Read more
Time Out LondonMarch 27, 2012A 25-foot Alaskan totem pole outside the main entrance gives a clue as to what’s in here: a wealth of quirky anthropological and natural history treasures. Read more
Sergei RinaldesAugust 16, 2013Unexpectedly beautiful museum and garden and cool events organised by the best Arts and Events manager!
Jeremy GordonDecember 5, 2011Perfect place for the kids on a wet weekend. The aquarium and hands-on music room (adjacent to the instrument collection) are favourites.
Beautiful educational gardens full of herbs and other plants. Great London views on top of the Hill.- Check out Horniman's aquarium and its famous jellyfish tank.
Erwin KrijgerApril 8, 2015Great if you have kids. The gardens are beautiful and relaxing. Great view.- Time Out LondonFebruary 23, 2012The most popular part of the museum is its showpiece Aquarium, where a series of tanks and rockpools cover seven distinct aquatic ecosystems. Read more
National Maritime MuseumJuly 11, 2011Frederick Horniman joined the family tea-importing business in 1849, just as US clipper ships started transporting tea from China, slashing travel time to only 100 days. Find your maritime story. Read more
Danny UKNovember 16, 2014Free entry, though no decent parking nearby. If suggest parking at Sainsbury for 2 hours and walking up.
Matt RedmanOctober 31, 2009Make sure you head into the gardens. From there you'll get an amazing view. You'll also find parking on Westwood Drive. There is also a great playground off Syndenam drive Read more
Geoffrey MakstutisMay 30, 2010This is a great place for kids and parents alike. Very 'hands-on' with activities and events year round. A place you can return to again and again.
If you're planning on eating in the cafe, take your food through to the ornate summer house in the gardens. Much more peaceful.
Dirk Vom LehnMay 8, 2010Great collection of ethnographic objects, musical instruments, stuffed animals. Wonderful garden and excellent cafe. I not working here!
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Horniman Museum and Gardens
100 London Rd
Forest Hill
Greater London
SE23 3PQ
United Kingdom
Forest Hill
Greater London
SE23 3PQ
United Kingdom
We are an inspiring, surprising, family-friendly, free attraction in South London’s Forest Hill.
Open until 5:30 PM (Show more)
- Mon–Sun
- 10:30 AM–5:30 PM
+44 20 8699 1872
Features
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. Visa & MasterCard)
Wi-Fi
Free
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Places inside Horniman Museum and Gardens
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"Free admission, high variety activities for under-5. Just book online in advance. Especially interesting playing areas at 2. floor such sandpit are perfect for younger kids"
Nuray Çanga - 7.4
"Get one of the guided tours. Nice seeing the place without hoards of other people"
Chris Rowan - 8.9
"A little pricey but totally worth it for transport nerds. Easily a few hours entertainment wandering round the generally quiet exhibitions. Lots of original vehicles and some brilliant models."
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