Special Events
Community Music Day – Sunday 20 March
1-5pm. A day of music performances showcasing talent from the local community including jazz and folk concerts by young musicians, a capella singing, gamelan workshops and more. Free. Everyone welcome.
Easter Fair – Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 March
10.30am–4.30pm. Hop around the Gardens with the Horniman Bunny, go on an Easter Egg trail, take part in craft activities, discover what’s in our arts and crafts market, visit our Farmers’ Market for seasonal produce (Saturday only), and enjoy food, drink, and more. Free entry.
Easter Holidays
Nature Explorers: Minibeast Safari, Tuesday 29 March and Tuesday 5 April
11am, 12pm, 2pm, 3pm. Search for creepy crawlies and bugs on our Nature Trail and discover the variety of insect life to be found in London during spring. The Horniman Nature Trail is the oldest in London and is carefully managed to encourage wildlife. Tickets: Child £3. Adults free. Suitable for families with children 3+. Not suitable for prams or pushchairs.
Big Wednesday: Eggstravaganza – Wednesday 30 March
11am – 3.30pm. Join us for a day of activities about eggs and egg-laying animals. Decorate your own egg, take part in an egg and spoon race, see extraordinary eggs from our collection and enjoy Easter themed folk dancing. All of this is inspired by the dinosaur eggs in our family exhibition Dinosaurs: Monster Families. Free.
Nature Explorers: Pond Dipping – Thursdays, 31 March and 7 April
11am, 12pm, 2pm & 3pm. Try your hand at pond dipping in our Nature Trail Pond and discover a spring environment bursting with life on the Nature Trail. All equipment is provided. This activity is not suitable for prams or pushchairs. Please dress for the weather. An alternative indoor event will be run in the event of very bad weather. Suitable for families with children aged 5+. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets: Child £3.
Big Wednesday: Spring Rites – Wednesday 6 April
11am – 3.30pm. Join us for a day of activities inspired by the beginning of spring, with arts and craft, music, storytelling and more. Free.
Community Teachsport: ParkActive – Mondays – Fridays from 28 March – 8 April
11am – 3.30pm. Take part in healthy fun activities in the Gardens including sports from around the world, as well as a soft play and baby gym. Drop in anytime. Free. For children aged 0-18 years and accompanying adults.
Family Art Fun – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 28 March – 8 April
11am – 2.45pm. Free and fabulous craft activities inspired by our new family exhibition Dinosaurs: Monster Families and the spring season. Decorate eggs and make dinosaur masks, springtime mobiles and flying garden birds. Free. Suitable for families which children aged 3+.
Take a Tour with Mr Horniman – Friday 1 April
11.30am, 1.15pm, 3pm. Mr Horniman has stepped out of his time machine in his top hat and tails to give you a special tour of his museum. He has some fantastic stories to tell and loves an audience! Free
The Wonderful Adventures of Mary Seacole – Friday 8 April
11.30am, 1.15pm, 3pm. Let 1800s war nurse Mary Seacole take you on a tour of the Horniman to tell her amazing story and show you around the Museum. Free.
Exhibitions and Displays
Dinosaurs: Monster Families – 13 February – 30 October 2016
Discover the fascinating world of dinosaurs and their young in this family-focused interactive exhibition. Dinosaurs: Monster Families shows how dinosaurs looked after their eggs, nests and babies. Meet a replica of ‘Baby Louie’ the nearly-complete skeleton of a dinosaur hatchling; dig in the discovery pit; touch a real dinosaur leg bone and come face-to-face with T-Rex’s relative – a life-size Tarbosaurus skeleton cast. Plus have fun at the interactive exploration stations, while dinosaurs fill the room in vivid illustrations.
Visitors will also be able to see a fossilised egg of the extinct elephant bird, on loan from Sir David Attenborough’s private collection, and enjoy an exciting programme of dinosaur-themed events and activities to complement the exhibition. See www.horniman.ac.uk for details and to book tickets.
Ticket prices: Child £4.40; Adult £7.70: Family (2 adults, 2 children) £18.70. Prices include 10% voluntary Gift Aid donation. Tickets will be on sale from 1 February 2016. See www.horniman.ac.uk/dinosaurs for more information. Horniman Members enjoy free, unlimited visits to the exhibition.
Cook and the Kangaroo – Saturday 19 March to Sunday 5 June
See the first European painting of an Australian animal, ‘The Kongouro from New Holland’ by the artist George Stubbs, alongside the Horniman’s taxidermy mount of an Eastern Grey Kangaroo. This small display will explore Captain Cook’s first voyage to the Pacific, which encountered new landscapes, people, plants and animals. Part of a collaborative project between five museums, led by Royal Museums Greenwich, and funded by the Art Fund and HLF. Free.