Virtual London - The best place to see London online

The Horniman Museum and Gardens were founded by Frederick Horniman, a tea merchant. He gave the museum to the people of London in 1901.

The collections cover World cultures and natural history. Look out for the Living Waters Aquarium. There's also the Music Room Gallery with interactive displays, and over 1500 instruments on show.

The museum is set in 16acres of beautiful Gardens, and has extensive views over London. Each year in June or July the museum holds Hornimania, a free music festival with bands and performers from all over the world.

Founder, Frederick Horniman, was the first tea merchant to sell tea in packets. Tea at that time was sold loose from chests. Dishonest grocers and shopkeepers would add hedge clippings and dust to the tea to add weight.

The Horniman family lived in Surrey House at 100 London Road, where Frederick was an avid collector from childhood.

Eventually he started to open his house to friends and visitors who asked to see his collection. So many people wanted to visit the house that on the May Bank Holiday of 1888 Frederick opened the house up to the general public. 5207 people turned up on that day. As a result he decided to open the house on a regular basis. In 1890 the family moved to a new house called Surrey Mount, which was built on the highest point in the Horniman Gardens. Their old house was renamed the Horniman Free Museum.

It soon became obvious that the museum was not big enough to cater for the large number of Visitors. In 1898 the old museum was demolished and the present one built in its place.

Open Daily 10:30 - 17:30

Nearest Underground (Tube) Station: Forest Hill BR