Horniman Museum and Gardens, Independent museum in Forest Hill, London, UK.
The Horniman Museum and Gardens is an independent museum in Forest Hill, London Borough of Lewisham, housing 350,000 objects from natural history, musical instruments, and anthropology. The collections sit within an Art Nouveau building with decorated halls and an attached aquarium.
Frederick John Horniman founded this museum in 1901 to make his collection gathered during international tea trade publicly accessible. The building later received Grade II* listed status due to its architectural importance.
The extensive collection of musical instruments features objects from all continents, allowing visitors to discover sound traditions from many cultures. The building itself carries typical Art Nouveau elements that give the exhibition visit a distinctive visual frame.
The main collections are accessible without admission, while the aquarium requires a separate entry. The nearest train station is Forest Hill, from which the grounds are a few minutes' walk.
A walrus in the collection is considered the largest taxidermy specimen of its kind in England and clearly shows Victorian taxidermists' uncertainty about the animal's natural form. This oversized body came about because the craftsmen had never seen a living walrus.
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