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Photos of the Horniman Museum and Gardens
Offbeat museum at 100 London Rd, Forest Hill, London SE23
(Photos ©urban75, 20th March 2010)
Founded by Victorian tea trader Frederick John Horniman, the museum sits on top of a hill and was designed by Charles Harrison Townsend in the Arts and Crafts style.
Commissioned in 1898, and opening in 1901, the striking building houses Horniman's vast collection of natural history, cultural artefacts and musical instruments.
The building was extended ten years later, with a lecture hall and library being donated by Frederick Horniman's son Emslie Horniman.
The impressive and distinctive facade.
To the left is the CUE (Centre for Understanding the Environment) building, built in 1996 by local architects Architype.
The CUE building was constructed using sustainable materials and features a grass roof and passive ventilation.
The superb, Grade II listed conservatory which is used as a cafe.
The Horniman museum specialises in anthropology, natural history and musical instruments and boasts a collection of over 350,000 objects.
The large collection of stuffed animals are truly odd, yet strangely compelling.
Overstuffed walrus
This 'Horniman Walrus' above was big hit when the museum opened in 1901.
The big fella came from Hudson Bay in Canada around 1870, and when it was presented to taxidermists in England they had no idea that the creature had flaps of skin around its neck, so they stuffed it full.
Stuffed ducks.
Fallen comrade.
The wall featuring a collection of mounted decapitated dogs' heads is perhaps the most disturbing thing in the museum. Well spooky!
The ethnography and music collections enjoy 'Designated status,' meaning they are deemed to be of great national importance.
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Museum photos
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