African Summer Events
Sunday Bandstand Concerts – Sundays 2 – 23 August, 3-5pm
Our popular Sunday afternoon Bandstand concerts are back this year celebrating African music from Morocco to Gambia. Please visit www.horniman.ac.uk/africansummer for further information. Free
Explore Africa for Families: Colours from South Africa – Tuesday 11 August, 2-2.45pm
Join Johanna Zetterstrom-Sharp, Curator of Anthropology, and learn about the way we associate different colours with different emotions and powers, and discover how the Xhosa and Zulu beadwork from South Africa was used to convey special messages between sweethearts. For families. Free
Explore Africa for Adults: Colours from South Africa – Tuesday 11 August, 3.30-4.15pm
Join Johanna Zetterstrom-Sharp, Curator of Anthropology, and discover a magnificent collection of colourful Xhosa and Zulu beadwork. Learn more about the importance of beadwork in weaving relationships in colonial South Africa and how its role has now changed to become representative of a new post-apartheid ‘rainbow nation’. Free
Big Wednesdays: African Summer – Wednesday 12 August, 11am – 3.30pm
Join us for a day of activities inspired by Africa’ss many different countries and its Diaspora. Experience different dance, drumming, singing and music performances inspired by traditions from all around Africa. Discover Dance Hall to Beatbox and Afro Beat to Lindy Hop and more. See our website for full details. These events are organised in partnership with The Association of Dance of the African Diaspora (ADAD). Free
Explore Africa for Families: Congolese myths and stories – Tuesday 18 August, 2-2.45pm
Discover exciting objects from the Democratic Republic of Congo and learn about stories from the Kasai region about how the Central African Rainforest was created. For families. Free
Explore Africa for Adults: Congolese myths and stories – Tuesday 18 August, 3.30-4.15pm
Meet the Congo Great Lakes Initiative group and find out about the Horniman’s collaboration with members of the Democratic Republic of Congo Diaspora and their work on re-interpreting our Congolese collections. Free
Big Wednesdays: African Summer Wednesday 19 August, 11am – 3.30pm
Join us for a day of activities inspired by Africaâ•˙s many different countries and its Diaspora. Experience different dance, drumming, singing and music performances inspired by traditions from all around Africa. See our website for full details. Organised on partnership with The Association of Dance of the African Diaspora (ADAD). Free
Explore Africa for Families: Hear it Live! – Tuesday 25 August, 2-2.45pm
Have you ever heard a xylophone from Western Africa or seen a thumb piano? Join Zimbabwean musician Kudaushe Matimba and watch him play his marimba and mbira. Free
Explore Africa for Adults: Hear it Live! – Tuesday 25 August, 2-2.45pm
Join legendary Zimbabwean musician Kudaushe Matimba and listen to a beautiful performance on marimba (African xylophone) and mbira (thumb piano). Free
Africarnival! – Sunday 30 August, 12-6pm
Join us for an afternoon of concerts, dance and carnival performances in the Gardens to celebrate the end of our African Summer. The programme will include specially-commissioned carnival parades, live music from across the African continent, pop-up performances, workshops, food and more. Free
Summer Family Events
Big Wednesday: Play Day – Wednesday 5 August, 11am – 3.30pm
Join us for a day of our most popular Horniman summer activities for Play Day 2015! Watch Punch and Judy, see Jambs Owls, play giant board games, take part in art and craft and explore our wildlife garden. See the website for full details. Free. Everyone welcome.
Nature Explorers – Pond Dipping – Every Thursday, until 27 August 11am-12pm, 12pm – 1pm, 2pm – 3pm & 3pm – 4pm
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. This event will be cancelled in the event of very bad weather. Suitable for families with children aged 5+. Tickets: Child £2. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Nature Notebooks – Every Thursday, until 27 August 11am – 2pm
Make your very own Nature Notebook and use it to explore our Gardens and record the things you find with our staff. Suitable for families with children aged 3+. Free
Nature Trail Discovery – Every Wednesday, until 26 August, 2-3.30pm
Discover the oldest Nature Trail in London which is carefully managed to encourage wildlife and includes pond, meadow and log pile habitats. The half mile Horniman Nature Trail occupies a stretch of the original Crystal Palace and South London Junction Railway. This activity is not suitable for prams or pushchairs. Children must be aged 3+ and accompanied by an adult. Free but ticketed on the day.
Nature Explorers: Minibeast Safari – Every Monday, until 17 August 11am-12pm, 12pm – 1pm, 2pm – 3pm & 3pm – 4pm
A fun family session exploring the summer environment in the Nature Trailâ•˙s meadow and log pile habitats. Search for creepy crawlies, bugs and other insects! Suitable for ages 3+. Not accessible for prams or pushchairs. Suitable for ages 3+. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets: Child £2. Buy on the day 30 minutes before the session.
Family Bat Walk – Friday 21 August, 7-9pm
Join our resident bat expert Rhianna Dix for a family friendly bat walk using real bat detectors to find bats in the Horniman Gardens. See a bat skeleton up close and learn how to identify different types of bat. Bat costumes encouraged! This event is for families with children age 7+. Tickets: Adult £5, Child £3
Adult Events
African Late – Thursday 6 August, 6.30-9.30pm
A night of performances celebrating contemporary artists from all around Africa and the African Diaspora. Encounter a dance battle between contemporary dance styles, try some Kizomba or Afrobeat steps, watch films and documentaries by young African filmmakers, listen to live music, see how our African collections have inspired contemporary artists and discover street performances, installations, tours, food and more. This event is part of Bloom Festival and organised in partnership with the Association of Dance of the African Diaspora (ADAD). Tickets: £5. Over-18s only.
Bat Walk – Friday 28 August, 7-9pm
Our Horniman bat expert, Rhianna Dix, will give a short introduction to bats. This will be followed by a bat survey using real bat detectors to find out what species might be living in and around the Horniman Gardens. This event is part of International Bat Night organised by EUROBATS to celebrate and encourage the conservation of bat species across the world. Tickets: £5
Exhibitions and Displays
South London Landscapes – From 23 May
A collection of atmospheric photographs of some of south London’s parks, open spaces and natural areas including the Horniman Gardens – taken by London based photographer Max A Rush. The pictures, taken in the most unusual and beautiful weather, capture the local landscape through its changing seasons. Free
Bloom – Saturday 11 July – Sunday 6 December
A series of plant silhouettes, painted by artist Edward Chell, inspired by the Horniman’s own collection of rare Cyanotype folios by 19th century naturalist and early photographer Anna Atkins, and plants in the Horniman’s Gardens and historic collections. Free
Plantastic – Until Sunday 1 November
Explore the wonderful world of plants on a massive scale. From giant seeds and to sun-seeking flowers and a huge crawl-through root system, Plantastic’s interactive exhibits and games will bring visitors up close to all kinds of fantastic plant life revealing how plants are essential for life on Earth. Tickets: £3.85 Child, £7.15 Adult, £18.15 Family (prices include 10% voluntary Gift Aid donation). Free for Horniman Members.
Plantastic Gardens Displays – Until Sunday 1 November
Our family-friendly Plantastic exhibition is complemented by three specially designed and themed displays in the Horniman’s spectacular Gardens. The displays include a mass planting of sunflowers, a floral picture of the anatomy of a flower created from more than 3,000 bedding plants, and a beautiful border themed around plants that attract pollinating insects. Free
Please visit www.horniman.ac.uk/africansummer for full information on the Horniman’s African Summer season.