Horniman Museum
Encyclopedia
The Horniman Museum is a museum
in Forest Hill
, South London
, England
. Commissioned in 1898, it opened in 1901 and was designed by Charles Harrison Townsend
in the Arts and Crafts
style.
The Horniman Museum is a non-departmental public body
of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
and is constituted as a company and registered charity
under English law.
The museum was founded by Victorian tea trader Frederick John Horniman
and contained his collection of natural history
, cultural artefacts and musical instruments.
In 1911 an additional building to the west of the main building, originally containing a lecture hall and library, was donated by Frederick Horniman's son Emslie Horniman
. This was also designed by Townsend. In 1999 the museum was closed for redevelopment, and it re-opened on 14 June 2002.
noted for its unique layout.
totem pole
stands outside the museum's main entrance. It was carved in 1985 as part of the American Arts Festival by Nathan Jackson
, a Tlingit native Alaskan
. The carvings on the pole depict figures from Alaskan legend of a girl who married a bear, with an eagle (Jackson's clan crest) at the top. The pole is one of only a handful of totem poles in the United Kingdom, others being on display at the British Museum
, Windsor Great Park
, Bushy Park
, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park
and at Alsford's Wharf in Berkhamsted
.
confusing pornography filters
.
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in Forest Hill
Forest Hill, London
Forest Hill is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It situated between Dulwich and Sydenham. The area has enjoyed extensive investment since plans to extend the East London Line to Forest Hill were unveiled in 2004....
, South London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Commissioned in 1898, it opened in 1901 and was designed by Charles Harrison Townsend
Charles Harrison Townsend
Charles Harrison Townsend was an English architect. He was born in Birkenhead, educated at Birkenhead School and articled to the Liverpool architect Walter Scott in 1870. He moved to London with his family in 1880 and entered partnership with the London architect Thomas Lewis Banks in 1884...
in the Arts and Crafts
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
style.
The Horniman Museum is a non-departmental public body
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England, and some aspects of the media throughout the whole UK, such as broadcasting and internet....
and is constituted as a company and registered charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
under English law.
History
Frederick John Horniman
Frederick John Horniman was an English tea trader, collector and public benefactor.He was the son of John Horniman, who established a tea business using mechanical packaging. In 1891, it was said to be the biggest tea company in the world.He founded the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill, south London...
and contained his collection of natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
, cultural artefacts and musical instruments.
In 1911 an additional building to the west of the main building, originally containing a lecture hall and library, was donated by Frederick Horniman's son Emslie Horniman
Emslie Horniman
Emslie John Horniman was a British anthropologist, philanthropist and Liberal Party politician.The son of Frederick Horniman, sometime Liberal member of parliament for Penryn and Falmouth, Horniman was educated privately and at the Slade School of Fine Art...
. This was also designed by Townsend. In 1999 the museum was closed for redevelopment, and it re-opened on 14 June 2002.
Collections
The Horniman specialises in anthropology, natural history and musical instruments and has a collection of 350,000 objects. The ethnography and music collections have Designated status. One of its most famous exhibits is the large collection of stuffed animals. It also has an aquariumAquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
noted for its unique layout.
Floor Directory
| 1st Floor | Ground Floor | Lower Ground Floor | Basement Floor Access from Lower Ground Floor only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5s Book Zone Natural History Balcony Horniman Highlight Objects 3 Apostle Clock, England |
Main Entrance CUE Building Conservatory Café Shop Education Centre Hands On Base Natural History Gallery Balcony Gallery Environment Room Textile Display Horniman Highlight Objects 1 Sand Painting, America 2 Walrus, Canada |
Temporary Exhibition Gallery Music Gallery Centenary Gallery African Worlds Gallery Gallery Square Security Reception from London Road Horniman Highlight Objects 4 French Horn, England 5 Carlton Drum Kit, England 6 Torture Chair, Unknown 7 Kali with Shiva Figure, India 8 Benin Plaques, Nigeria Benin Bronzes The Benin Bronzes are a collection of more than 3000 brass plaques from the royal palace of the Kingdom of Benin . They were seized by a British force in the Punitive Expedition of 1897 and given to the British Foreign Office... 9 Ijele Mask, Nigeria 10 Coffin Lid, Egypt |
New Aquarium |
Transport connections
| Service | Station/Stop | Lines/Routes served | Distance from Horniman Museum |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Buses | Horniman Museum | 176 London Buses route 176 London Buses route 176 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.-History:... , 185 London Buses route 185 London Buses route 185 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:... , 197 London Buses route 197 London Buses route 197 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.... , 356 London Buses route 356 London Buses route 356 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Stagecoach London.-History:The first route 356 ran from Tatsfield and Biggin Hill directly into Croydon.... , P4 |
|
| Homrniman Park | 363 | 0.2 mile walk | |
| London Overground | Forest Hill Forest Hill railway station Forest Hill railway station is situated in Forest Hill, part of the London Borough of Lewisham. The station is located on the South Circular Road .... |
East London Line East London Line The East London Line is a London Overground line which runs north to south through the East End, Docklands and South areas of London.Built in 1869 by the East London Railway Company, which reused the Thames Tunnel, originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, the line became part of the London... |
0.4 mile walk |
| National Rail | Southern Southern (train operating company) Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service... |
Gardens
The museum is set in 16 acres (65,000 m²) of gardens which include the following features:- A Grade II listed conservatoryConservatory (greenhouse)A conservatory is a room having glass roof and walls, typically attached to a house on only one side, used as a greenhouse or a sunroom...
from 1894 which was moved from Horniman's family house in CroydonCroydonCroydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
to the present site in the 1980s. - A bandstandBandstandA bandstand is a circular or semicircular structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts...
from 1912 - A small animal enclosure
- A nature trail
- An ornamental garden
Totem pole
A 20 feet (6.1 m) red cedarThuja plicata
Thuja plicata, commonly called Western or pacific red cedar, giant or western arborvitae, giant cedar, or shinglewood, is a species of Thuja, an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae native to western North America...
totem pole
Totem pole
Totem poles are monumental sculptures carved from large trees, mostly Western Red Cedar, by cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America...
stands outside the museum's main entrance. It was carved in 1985 as part of the American Arts Festival by Nathan Jackson
Nathan Jackson (artist)
Nathan Jackson is an American artist. He is among the most important living Tlingit artists and the most important Alaskan artists. He is best known for his totem poles, but works in a variety of media....
, a Tlingit native Alaskan
Alaska Natives
Alaska Natives are the indigenous peoples of Alaska. They include: Aleut, Inuit, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Eyak, and a number of Northern Athabaskan cultures.-History:In 1912 the Alaska Native Brotherhood was founded...
. The carvings on the pole depict figures from Alaskan legend of a girl who married a bear, with an eagle (Jackson's clan crest) at the top. The pole is one of only a handful of totem poles in the United Kingdom, others being on display at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park is a large deer park of , to the south of the town of Windsor on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in England. The park was, for many centuries, the private hunting ground of Windsor Castle and dates primarily from the mid-13th century...
, Bushy Park
Bushy Park
- External links :***...
, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
The Yorkshire Sculpture Park in West Bretton, Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England is an open-air gallery showing work by UK and international artists, including Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth...
and at Alsford's Wharf in Berkhamsted
Berkhamsted
-Climate:Berkhamsted experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Castle:...
.
CUE building
The Horniman Museum contains the CUE (Centre for Understanding the Environment) building. This opened in 1996 and was designed by local architects Architype. The building has a grass roof and was constructed from sustainable materials. It also incorporates passive ventilation.Internet Filter Problems
In 2004 the museum encountered problems receiving emails due to the modern connotations of its nameHorny
Horny is an adjective that can mean any one of the following:* An animal that possesses a horn * A slang term that describes a person who is sexually aroused and/or desires sexual satisfaction; hypersexual...
confusing pornography filters
Internet censorship
Internet censorship is the control or suppression of the publishing of, or access to information on the Internet. It may be carried out by governments or by private organizations either at the behest of government or on their own initiative...
.