The Horniman Museum

One of my first major discoveries in London. The Horniman Museum is one of the most eclectic and strangest museums in London - and this is a fairly crowded field!

The Museum was built by a wealthy tea merchant, John Horniman, and opened its doors in 1901. The building is in the Arts and Crafts style and has a large garden attached. With typical Quaker philanthropy, Horniman dedicated the museum and gardens free to the people of London.

Is there any other museum where you can move from a collection of stuffed animals to a large statue of the Hindu goddess Kali, then on to some live rare fish, and a collection of baroque viols? Or perhaps an authentic Navaho sand painting? Have you ever seen the masterpieces of bronze casting from Benin metalsmiths? If you’re not completely exhausted at this point, you can sit in the beautiful Victorian conservatory and listen to some live jazz while drinking a cup of tea. That’s pretty close to my definition of a perfect Saturday afternoon.