UK
Nature + Love - Horniman Museum and Gardens
Nature + Love - Horniman Museum and Gardens
Skip to content
Nature + Love is a transformational project to inspire a greater understanding and appreciation for the world we all share.
Through new displays and destinations across the Horniman, we will become more inclusive and accessible, and help future generations to better protect and celebrate the natural world.
Keep up to date with the latest news about the project and what we are up to behind the scenes, with our
news and stories
Nature + Love summary
Two new destinations in the
Horniman Gardens
will encourage visitors to explore outdoors. On the site of the Old Boating Pond we will create an exciting natured-themed play area for families to have fun together, along with a new Café. Also in this area of the Gardens we will introduce a new gate onto the historic
Nature Trail
where there will be improved information and accessibility.
At the top of the site, a new Gardens nursery will feature a workshop space for visitors to engage with sustainable gardening. Nearby, a new community garden will be run with local groups.
A full redisplay of the Horniman’s famous Natural History Gallery, opening in early 2027, is the third area of the project. The building will be refurbished but the much-loved character of the current displays will remain – with the walrus in pride of place! Beautifully curated displays, along with co-produced interventions by community and school groups, will explore human’s relationship with the natural world and big ideas for how we can all positively shape its future. Next door will be a fun space designed with and for local families to inspire a lifelong love of nature.
The Natural History Gallery reopening in 2027 will round off our celebrations of 125 years since the Museum first opened in 1901. Support our
125th Anniversary Appeal
and to be part of an exciting future for the Horniman.
Timeline
Latest timeline for the project:
July 2023 – Nature + Love awarded £5.7m by the National Lottery Heritage Fund
February 2024 – Launch of Horniman’s 125th Anniversary Appeal
March 2024 – Natural History Gallery closes for refurbishment and redisplay
January 2025 – Work begins in the Gardens
Early summer 2026 – New outdoor spaces open, public events programme across all new spaces begins
Early 2027 – Natural History Gallery opens
Background to Nature + Love
In the summer of 2019, we shared a
Framework Plan
for the future of the estate. Developed by design team Studio Egret West, the brief was to review the entire estate and identify opportunities to improve the visitor experience, create new indoor and outdoor destinations, and positively engage with the natural world.
Following feedback from public and partner consultations, discussions with Lewisham planners, and the development of costings, some elements of the Framework Plan were removed and two priority projects identified – one around improving the entrance and visitor facilities, and the other concentrating on visitors’ engagement with nature.
This second project, combining the Natural History Gallery and the Gardens, became known as
Nature + Love
and it is this project that we will be focusing on over the next few years.
We were delighted to hear in
January 2022
that we had received a Stage 1 pass from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), meaning they would fund the development of our Nature + Love concept in more detail. We appointed a brilliant project team and worked hard to develop our concept designs and plans, informed by a wide range of feasibility and viability studies, targeted engagement and consultation, and curatorial research.
In July 2023, we were thrilled to learn the Horniman has been
awarded £5.7m by the NLHF
. The Horniman is approaching other funding bodies and inviting individual donors to support Nature + Love, which will cost just over £10m in total. It already has a pledge of £1.4m from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, £500,000 from The Kusuma Trust, £250,000 from the Foyle Foundation and £200,000 so far from Trustees and a number of generous individual donors.
See the historic Natural History Gallery
Project elements
Nature + Love
will enhance the visitor experience and open up previously under-used areas of the Horniman site by creating three exciting new attractions:
Kusuma Nature Play
– a new nature-themed play area and family-friendly cafe encouraging learning and wellbeing through exploration and play. This area will also include a new gate for easier access to the Horniman Nature Trail, as well as better interpretation along the Trail.
A new
Gardens Nursery
with workshop space for community and learning programmes, and a Community Garden to be cared for by local people.
A refurbished and redisplayed
Natural History Gallery
exploring human understanding of and impact upon the planet, and supporting people to make changes on a local and personal level. A fun, interactive space will help under 5s learn about local wildlife.
These capital works will be complemented by a range of
nature-focused partnerships
and a
programme of activities
to diversify our audiences.
The Natural History Gallery’s current floor plan, thanks to Feilden Fowles
Aerial view of the Horniman Gardens and Nature Trail
Horniman Gardens with South Downs Meadow
Natural History Gallery
One of the key outputs of the
Nature + Love
project is a redisplayed Natural History Gallery. The new Gallery will retain its historical infrastructure and atmosphere, as well as many of the most popular specimens – such as keeping our famous walrus on open display.
Using the existing collections and new acquisitions, the displays and interpretation will be brought up to date – making them more relevant and accessible to a wider range of people, and referencing human impact on our planet.
The new Gallery will retain its historical infrastructure and atmosphere, as well as many of the most popular specimens
We wish to create a Gallery that inspires our visitors to explore and celebrate our love and need for the natural world, instilling a sense of curiosity and wonder and challenging them to take positive action to help preserve the world we all share.
Working closely with the Horniman’s curatorial team, the project’s exhibition designer, Studio MB, has developed a design that seeks to balance the contemporary requirements of museum exhibitions with the sensitive historical context of the Gallery itself.
As the interior of the Gallery is listed, the retention and renovation of as many historical showcases as possible has been a fundamental principle during the design development.
This has led to many of the showcases on the perimeter of the Gallery remaining in place. The creation of a central spine of showcases and interpretation will provide much greater clarity for the entire redisplay which will be grouped in five key themes.
The five key themes: Nature and you; Exploiting nature; Big ideas; Extinction & on the brink; and Nature needs you – you need nature.
Nature Explorers Action Zone
As part of the Natural History Gallery development, the adjacent Nature Base will be transformed into a Nature Explorers Action Zone with coproduction by local families.
Nature Base will be transformed into a Nature Explorers Action Zone with coproduction by local families
The space will provide a dedicated interactive area for families with children under five. It will be designed to connect young people with nature, instill a sense of curiosity and wonder, and support visitors to take positive actions that are good for nature. The space will be fun, engaging and participatory, with a focus on interactivity and self-directed play.
The space will be fun, engaging and participatory, with a focus on interactivity and self-directed play.
The space will focus on species that can be found locally to the Horniman. These have been selected by community groups as foxes, bees, robins, grass snakes, butterflies and thistles.
The existing observation beehive will be retained but upgraded to improve life for the bees and visitors’ interpretation of what they can see. The Horniman and community groups are now working with Studio MB to bring the space to life.
The Nature Explorers Action Zone will have links to the outdoor Adventure Zone in the Gardens (see below), drawing links between the indoor and outdoor aspects of the
Nature + Love
project.
Kusuma Nature Play
We will create a new outdoor family destination in the Gardens to be enjoyed throughout the seasons, Kusuma Nature Play.
An early look at the Horniman Museum and Garden’s new nature-themed play area and café, opening from early Summer 2026 © Feilden Fowles
The concept for this new attraction, based in and around the old model boating pond below the meadow field, is inspired by the heritage of the Great North Wood – the ancient woodland once covering extensive areas of south London.
The new zone will open up access to our currently hidden and historically significant Nature Trail and establish a new outdoor play area and children’s café – combining each element to encourage improved health and wellbeing and an appreciation of nature through exploration and play.
Play
Landscape architects J&L Gibbons’ designs for a new play area are inspired by nature. The elements will be made of timber and recycled materials, help absorb groundwater, and create rain gardens for sensory play.
A jetty crossing through the play area will integrate opportunities to explore with access for children of all abilities. Natural play opportunities and enhanced planting beneath the existing trees will make most of the sloping ground to enjoy the shade of the trees in the summer months.
Eat, drink and socialise
Designed by Feilden Fowles architects, the new café will sit alongside the play area at the northern end of the existing concrete pond area.
Good coffee and healthy menus will be on offer in a relaxed, welcoming environment that enables close proximity to and supervision of children enjoying the nature-based play area. A circular, cantilevering, timber roof will be the distinctive feature of the café building.
The roof will angle upwards to give views of the play area and the meadow field from the seating beneath. Offering both indoor and outdoor seating alongside associated seating and picnicking areas within the footprint of the old model boating pond, the café will offer a vital new facility not only to this area of the site but will also relieve pressure on other busy areas of the Horniman.
Kusuma Nature Play, thanks to Feilden Fowles and J & L Gibbons.
The café will offer a vital new facility not only to this area of the site but will also relieve pressure on other busy areas of the Horniman.
Functionally independent and located at the opposite end of the concrete bowl, a smaller pavilion will house toilets, hand-cleaning facilities, baby changing, and equipment storage for Nature Trail learning activities.
Explore and learn
The Horniman’s Nature Trail is currently accessed by steep steps which prevent many visitors from enjoying the space. A key ambition for
Nature + Love
is to make a new step-free link between the Gardens and the Nature Trail.
Visitors will be able to directly access the Nature Trail through a new gate in the west boundary of the Gardens, close to the Kusuma Nature Play. Thanks to J & L Gibbons.
Visitors will be able to directly access the Nature Trail through a new gate in the west boundary of the Gardens, close to the Kusuma Nature Play area.
A new sloped path will facilitate easy access and encourage exploration, making the Nature Trail an intrinsic part of the wider Horniman Museum and Gardens estate.
The Nature Trail provides a sanctuary for nature – with hidden habitats of great value that provide ideal places for wildlife to thrive within the urban environment. The lack of intensive management helps attract birds, wildflowers and more elusive mammals that in turn can provide us with a direct contact with nature in the city.
This will be interpreted by new subtle storytelling and information panels. A new management strategy for the Nature Trail will help optimise the ecological value while keeping the area safe for all visitors to enjoy.
Gardens Nursery
The Gardens Nursery has three primary aims:
to consolidate and modernise the Horniman’s gardening facilities
to provide a suitable space for community and adult outreach programmes and learning activities
wherever possible, to improve accessibility.
A new glasshouse will be located at the top of the site, on the location of the existing greenhouses and hardstanding.
Designed to provide modern facilities that meet the Horniman’s horticulture team’s requirements, it will be heated with air source heat pumps.
To the south of the glasshouse will be a new public terrace and external covered canopy. This will provide a fully accessible route around the top of the South Downs Garden; views into the glasshouse and interpretation opportunities; and an external covered canopy space to host a variety of the Horniman’s outreach programmes. The outdoor learning activities will focus on sustainable gardening techniques and there will be a compost area, a wormery and rain water collection.
Gardens Nursery, thanks to Feilden Fowles and J & L Gibbons.
To the south of the glasshouse sits a new public terrace and external covered canopy.
Learn more about the works on site
Read the
Nature + Love: Construction Environmental Management Plan
If you have any questions about the Nature + Love project, or would like to receive the monthly newsletter update from Roof, please email
framework@horniman.ac.uk
Learn more about our
Data Protection
and
Privacy Policies
Consultation
A range of consultations and research with key groups has already taken place, and will continue to inform the development and delivery of the
Nature + Love
project throughout its duration.
A summary of the extensive consultation that has taken place to date:
Framework Plan exhibition in the Museum and consultation with visitors, partners and stakeholders in 2019 and more recently to include public consultation meetings.
Access Advisory Group – a long-standing advisory group to the Horniman. Members of the group are chosen with the aim of representing as diverse a range of disabled experience as possible.
Engagement Advisory Group – a voluntary group comprised of individuals who can offer a strategic overview during the project and provide a knowledge and expertise in areas relating to museum community engagement and audiences.
Youth Advisory Panel – young people aged 16 – 25 who look in detail at the Horniman’s plans and projects and helps the Horniman think of new ways to involve young people.
Teacher Consultation Groups – new ways of consulting with teachers have been trialled throughout the Development Phase of the project, with onsite and outreach sessions, focus groups, and gatherings of teachers specialising in similar or mixed Key Stages and/or subjects.
Subject Specialist Advisors – subject specialists and academics with a range of knowledge and expertise across areas of gallery theme content such as zoology, environmentalism / ecomuseology, palaeontology, animal trade networks, history of natural history, and colonialism.
Critical friends – advice and guidance from those with expertise in decolonising practice and environmental engagement.
Public and neighbours – focused feedback and suggestions from visitors and neighbours on specific aspects of the projects. Activities have included hearing from Gallery visitors about how to display the walrus, and walking the Nature Trail with those who have gardens backing onto it.
Non-visiting audiences – in-depth consultation with non-visitors on a wide range of Horniman-related issues, and contributing to the development of the interpretation and digital plans for the project.
Digital Feasibility Study – involving a range of visitors and non-visitors to establish an approach to digital interpretation that would best meet the project’s audience aims. The report recommended a set of principles for the use of digital technologies which are now being applied.
Horniman Gardens seen from above
Lead funder
Nature + Love is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to begin work to make the Horniman more inclusive and accessible, placing environmental sustainability and a commitment to fighting the climate emergency at its heart.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.
From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.
Funders
Visit the website
Visit the website
Visit the website
Visit the website
Visit the website
Visit the website
Nature + Love contractors
Blakedown Landscapes
Gardens contractor
Feilden Fowles
Architects
Focus Consultants
Project Managers
J&L Gibbons
Landscape architects
Rooff
Gallery contractor
Studio MB
Exhibition designer
Dates
Currently active
Continue exploring
125th Anniversary Appeal
Help the Horniman to inspire a greater understanding and appreciation of the world we all share by donating to our 125th Anniversary Appeal.
Find out more
Horniman awarded major grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for Nature + Love project
By Press Office, 26 July 2023
The Horniman has been awarded £5.7m by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, for its transformational Nature + Love project.
Kusuma Trust awards £500,000 to Nature + Love
By Press Office, 11 February 2025
We are extremely grateful to Kusuma Trust for their grant of £500,000 to support our Nature + Love project and help us bring our plans to reality.
Nature + Love Consultation: Construction Environmental Management Plan
By Horniman Team, 15 February 2024
Focus Consultants has been appointed by the Horniman Museum and Gardens to identify best practice procedures for managing the construction activities associated with the Nature + Love works.
About the Horniman
The Horniman connects us all with global cultures and the natural environment, encouraging us to shape a positive future for the world we all share.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. If you accept "Essential Cookies only" some elements, like videos and maps by third parties, may not work. You can visit Customise Your Preferences to customise your cookie consent. Read our
Cookie Policy
Customise your preferences
Accept Essential Cookies
Accept all Cookies
Manage consent
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorised as essential are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. For example, maps may not appear and videos may not play, as these rely on 3rd party cookies from Google and YouTube.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Duration
Description
__cfduid
1 month
The cookie is used by cdn services like CloudFare to identify individual clients behind a shared IP address and apply security settings on a per-client basis. It does not correspond to any user ID in the web application and does not store any personally identifiable information.
__RequestVerificationToken
session
This cookie is set by web application built in ASP.NET MVC Technologies. This is an anti-forgery cookie used for preventing cross site request forgery attacks.
_GRECAPTCHA
6 months
Google Recaptcha service sets this cookie to identify bots to protect the website against malicious spam attacks.
.ASPXANONYMOUS
2 months 8 days 11 hours
This cookies is set by ASP.NET and is used to track users within a ticket booking session without requiring the user to log in.
ASP.NET_SessionId
session
Issued by Microsoft's ASP.NET Application, this cookie stores session data during a user's website visit.
AWSALBCORS
7 days
Amazon Web Services set this cookie for load balancing.
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement
1 year
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
CookieLawInfoConsent
1 year
CookieYes sets this cookie to record the default button state of the corresponding category and the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.
incap_ses_*
session
This is an Incapsula DDoS Protection and Web Application Firewall cookie that is used to relate HTTP requests to a certain session.
JSESSIONID
session
New Relic uses this cookie to store a session identifier so that New Relic can monitor session counts for an application.
nlbi_*
session
This cookie is set to improve security and provide load-balancing to ensure that a client's requests are sent to the same origin server.
reese84
1 month
This is a security cookie used by Imperva Incapsula web firewall and bot protection service. This cookie generates a unique fingerprint for each user to identify and block bots.
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
visid_incap_*
1 year
Incapsula sets this cookie to provide cloud-based website security services.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.
Duration
Description
__cf_bm
30 minutes
This cookie is set by CloudFare. The cookie is used to support Cloudfare Bot Management.
_donations_session
1 year
Used by Donorbox to collect anonymous information to process your donation.
sp_landing
1 day
The sp_landing is set by Spotify to implement audio content from Spotify on the website and also registers information on user interaction related to the audio content.
sp_t
1 year
The sp_t cookie is set by Spotify to implement audio content from Spotify on the website and also registers information on user interaction related to the audio content.
yt-player-bandwidth
never
The yt-player-bandwidth cookie is used to store the user's video player preferences and settings, particularly related to bandwidth and streaming quality on YouTube.
yt-player-headers-readable
never
The yt-player-headers-readable cookie is used by YouTube to store user preferences related to video playback and interface, enhancing the user's viewing experience.
yt-remote-cast-available
session
The yt-remote-cast-available cookie is used to store the user's preferences regarding whether casting is available on their YouTube video player.
yt-remote-cast-installed
session
The yt-remote-cast-installed cookie is used to store the user's video player preferences using embedded YouTube video.
yt-remote-connected-devices
never
YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt-remote-device-id
never
YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt-remote-fast-check-period
session
The yt-remote-fast-check-period cookie is used by YouTube to store the user's video player preferences for embedded YouTube videos.
yt-remote-session-app
session
The yt-remote-session-app cookie is used by YouTube to store user preferences and information about the interface of the embedded YouTube video player.
yt-remote-session-name
session
The yt-remote-session-name cookie is used by YouTube to store the user's video player preferences using embedded YouTube video.
ytidb::LAST_RESULT_ENTRY_KEY
never
Used by YouTube to store the last search result entry that was clicked by the user. This information is used to improve the user experience by providing more relevant search results in the future.
Performance
performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website, which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Duration
Description
AWSALB
7 days
AWSALB is an application load balancer cookie set by Amazon Web Services to map the session to the target.
TNEW
session
This cookie is used on our ticketing site to allow you to sign in and purchase tickets.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
5 months 27 days
This cookie is set by Youtube. Used to track the information of the embedded YouTube videos on a website.
Analytics
analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, pages visited on site, traffic source, etc.
Duration
Description
___utmvc
less than a minute
The cookie is installed by Google Analytics to gather data on the user's site usage. This data is then used to compile reports and improve the site.
_fbp
3 months
Facebook sets this cookie to display advertisements when either on Facebook or on a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising after visiting the website.
_ga
1 year 1 month 4 days
Google Analytics sets this cookie to calculate visitor, session and campaign data and track site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognise unique visitors.
_ga_*
1 year 1 month 4 days
Google Analytics sets this cookie to store and count page views.
_gat_UA-*
1 minute
Google Analytics sets this cookie for user behaviour tracking.
_gcl_au
3 months
Google Tag Manager sets the cookie to experiment advertisement efficiency of websites using their services.
_gid
1 day
Google Analytics sets this cookie to store information on how visitors use a website while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the collected data includes the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
ajs_anonymous_id
never
This cookie is set by Segment to count the number of people who visit a certain site by tracking if they have visited before.
ajs_group_id
never
This cookie is set by Segment to track visitor usage and events within the website.
ajs_user_id
never
This cookie is set by Segment to help track visitor usage, events, target marketing, and also measure application performance and stability.
vuid
2 years
This domain of this cookie is owned by Vimeo. This cookie is used by vimeo to collect tracking information. It sets a unique ID to embed videos to the website.
YSC
session
This cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos.
Advertisement
advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customised ads.
Duration
Description
IDE
1 year 24 days
Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile.
NID
6 months
This cookie is used to a profile based on user's interest and display personalized ads to the users.
PREF
8 months
PREF cookie is set by Youtube to store user preferences like language, format of search results and other customizations for YouTube Videos embedded in different sites.
test_cookie
15 minutes
This cookie is set by doubleclick.net. The purpose of the cookie is to determine if the user's browser supports cookies.
VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA
6 months
YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's cookie consent state for the current domain.
yt.innertube::nextId
never
YouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::requests
never
YouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
Others
others
Other uncategorised cookies are those that are being analysed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
Duration
Description
__cflb
1 hour
This cookie is used by Cloudflare for load balancing.
_cfuvid
session
Cloudflare uses this cookie to distinguish between users from the same IP address.
cf_clearance
1 year
A clearance cookie that stores the proof that a Javascript or Captcha challenge has been passed.
debug
never
Pending
hmt_id
1 month
This cookie is used to distinguish between humans and bots.
loglevel
never
A persistent cookie that collects data on user interaction with our video-content.
2 years
This Stripe cookie determines the device used to access the website. This allows the website to be formatted accordingly.
Trinity-Session-collage_public-web
session
Pending
Save & Accept