The Horniman Museum and Gardens will mark its 125th anniversary with a free garden fete on Saturday 27th June 2026, as the Forest Hill institution prepares to welcome visitors to a day of live music, giant crafts and augmented reality trails.
The festival-style party runs from 12pm to 5pm and will feature more than 40 activities spread across the 16-acre site. Three music stages will host local and young musicians, DJs, and musical storytelling sessions for under-fives. Roaming performances, a dedicated storytelling tent, and giant craft activities such as weaving, tree shadow colouring and cyanotype printing are also planned. Families can take part in birthday hat making, hedgehog highway sign crafting, and children’s games under the banner of the “Smallympics”. Bouncy castles and bubbles will add to the festive atmosphere, with food stalls and bars available throughout the afternoon.
The anniversary celebrations extend beyond the fete itself. The museum has announced a year-long programme that includes a season of live music concerts on its historic Bandstand, a special birthday-edition Sunday market, and the return of the “Music, Jerk ‘n Tings” event. The Horniman is also seeking memories and photographs from past and present visitors to share on its website and social media channels.
New spaces and trails for the anniversary year
The 125th year coincides with the opening of several new and revitalised spaces as part of the “Nature + Love” project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project, which aims to inspire a greater understanding and appreciation of the natural world, includes the Kusuma Nature Play area and a family-friendly café, offering improved access to the Nature Trail. That trail has been enhanced with step-free access and site-specific interpretation. An augmented reality trail across the Gardens will feature animated animals for visitors to discover. The Gardens Nursery is being transformed with new glasshouses, a public boardwalk and workshop space for sustainable gardening. All these elements are due to open in early summer 2026.
The popular Natural History Gallery is scheduled to reopen in early 2027 after a full refurbishment, with a redisplay of both familiar and new objects that explore humankind’s relationship with the natural world.
The founder and the tea trade that built his collection
The museum was founded in 1901 by Frederick John Horniman. Frederick had inherited his father’s Horniman’s Tea business, which by 1891 had become the world’s largest tea-trading enterprise. The wealth from that business allowed Horniman to indulge a lifelong passion for collecting. After travelling extensively, he amassed some 30,000 items across natural history, cultural artefacts, and musical instruments. His stated ambition was to “bring the world to Forest Hill” for the education and enjoyment of the public.
Horniman’s tea fortune was built on the global trade networks of the British Empire. The museum itself now acknowledges that this wealth was reliant on the exploitation of people within the empire, particularly through the tea trade which profited from the sale of opium in China and the labour practices in tea-growing regions. The Horniman has been working with international partners and community members to ensure its cultural heritage is displayed and cared for respectfully and ethically. In November 2022, the museum returned 72 items, including Benin Bronzes, to Nigeria. In September 2024, ten artefacts of cultural importance were returned to the Warumungu Community of Australia.
The museum building, designed by Charles Harrison Townsend, is Grade II* listed. Horniman, who also served as a Member of Parliament, donated some 15 acres of land to the London County Council along with his collection, and spent an additional £40,000 to build the museum. It opened on 29th June 1901.
Visitor numbers and recognition
In its first five months of operation, from July to November 1901, the museum welcomed 165,234 visitors. Today, annual visitor numbers average between 820,000 and 950,000. The museum’s Impact Report for 2023-24 recorded 924,213 visits.
The Horniman has received significant accolades in recent years. It was named Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2022, winning £100,000, which it planned to use for a Resident Artist programme and outdoor learning activities. The award recognised the museum’s transformational programming and engagement with the climate emergency. In 2021, it was awarded Best Large Museum at the Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum Awards.
The museum is a registered charity and operates on a mix of public funding, self-generated income from trading, charitable activities, and fundraising. Since April 2023, its government funding has come directly from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport as an Arm’s Length Body, replacing previous Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation funding. The “Nature + Love” project has received substantial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Kusuma Trust, and other foundations.
The Horniman Museum and Gardens is located at 100 London Road, Forest Hill, London SE23 3PQ. The nearest train station is Forest Hill on the London Overground’s Windrush line, approximately a ten-minute walk away. The museum offers level access, ramps and lifts throughout; accessible toilets and parking are available; companion tickets are provided free of charge; and wheelchairs can be borrowed from the Ticket Desk.
