Horniman Museum & Gardens; Budget London

Horniman Museum & Gardens

The Horniman Museum & Gardens, based in South East London, offers an unusual mix of old & new within one setting…all on a budget.

This museum juxtaposes the old style collector of artifacts from around the world, (Frederick Horniman), with a more modern view of interactive exhibits to interest a younger audience.

The Horniman boasts of an aquarium, a sound garden, a music gallery & an over-stuffed walrus….all at one setting!

Days Out on a Budget

The Horniman Museum & Gardens; The Costs

The great advantage with this setting is the main exhibits & gardens are all FREE of charge!

The only charges in place are for the Aquarium & select exhibitions that run during the year.  It’s well worth heading downstairs to the Aquarium, particularly if you have little ones with you,  as tickets are just a few pounds.  For those living in the area, it could be worth investing in a family annual pass that offers unlimited return visits.

Whilst it’s a relatively small aquarium & won’t keep older children amused for too long, it is ideal for younger children.  Pre-school children in particular will enjoy this setting with exhibits thoughtfully placed at low levels.  With plenty of nooks & crannies abound, it’s a great size for younger children & a fraction of the price of other main stream aquariums!

Over Stuffed Walrus at the Horniman Museum

The Horniman Museum & Gardens; The Best Bits

The Music Gallery; an interactive ‘hands on space’ with a range of unusual musical instruments to try out.  Ideal for younger children but worth checking out availability during your visit as it is regularly booked by schools during term time.

The Sound Garden; within the gardens, this outdoor interactive space allows kids of all ages to experiment with sound.

Aquarium; particularly good for young children, (small additional charge in place).

Over Stuffed Walrus; before it was commonly known that walrus’s had folds of skin, this walrus dating back to 1886, is pretty unusual & a very popular exhibit at The Horniman Museum.

The Horniman Museum & Gardens; Odds & Sods

1. Great to see FREE lockers & cloakroom available at this setting; simply ask for a free token at the ticket kiosk as you arrive.

2. Location is it’s main difficulty…..the nearest over ground station is Forest Hill, (you can pick up the mainline from London Bridge tube), followed by a steep 10 minute walk from the station.

3. You can always return to the ticket desk later in your visit should you wish to purchase tickets for the Aquarium and/or other additional charge exhibitions.

4. Whilst the Horniman Museum is an odd mix of old & new, it’s worth exploring each gallery as you will tend to find an interactive area within the more traditional areas.

More information available at The Horniman Museum.

By Liz Walsh