Horniman Museum and Gardens: October half term and Halloween events
Horniman Museum Late Thursday 3 October, 5.30-9pm
On the first Thursday of each month the Horniman Museum will be open to visitors until 9pm. Explore the collections after hours, enjoy our current displays and exhibitions, and grab a drink with friends.
October’s Late includes Forging Ahead – A Celebration of the African and Caribbean Diaspora Legacy. Watch two artistic documentary films celebrating the legacies of the African and Caribbean diaspora communities in Britain, then ask questions at a Q&A with a panel of the storytellers and creatives involved in the films. Forging Ahead is presented in collaboration with the London College of Communication, curated by Maureen Salmon, Associate Dean for Knowledge Exchange.
Plus, explore the World Gallery and Music Gallery, and take advantage of discounted tickets to the Aquarium and Dinosaur rEvolution – and a chance to win £50 to spend in the Horniman gift shop.
Free entry. No advance booking required. Some activities are charged for.
October half term activities
Oh Yes I Am! Panto Dame Storytelling with Mama G Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 October, 10am, 11.30am, 1.30pm
Join everyone’s favourite pantomime dame Mama G this half-term to celebrate yourself and the world of panto. Families are invited to discover how the magic of pantomime can help you change the world, in an interactive storytelling of Oh Yes I Am! written by Mama G and illustrated by Toto. The session will be full of magic, terrible jokes and fabulous songs by Moxy from Andy and the Socks, performed by Mama G. Oh yes it will!
Tickets: Child £10, Adult £10, Adult/child ticket including book: £18.99. Under 3s free. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Sessions last 60 minutes. This event is in partnership with Petite Pantos.
Autumn Craft and Play: Sun Printing and Kite Flying Wednesday 30 October 2024, 10am, 11am, 1pm and 2pm
Paint with the sun, build a kite and fly it up to the highest heights in a family craft workshop. You’ll learn how you to print using natural materials, the autumn sun and special paper to create a unique and beautiful artwork. In the second half of the session, you’ll craft a kite which you can then take outside to fly in the picturesque Horniman gardens. This workshop will be led by artist Sarita Acosta Vargas.
Tickets: Child £5. Children must be accompanied by an adult (one adult only per child). Sessions last 60 minutes. Suitable for children aged 5+. Advance booking required.
Halloween Fun!
Thursday 31 October, 10am to 4pm
Join us at the Horniman this Halloween for costumes, crafts and spooky fun. Show off your Halloween costumes in a dance-off in Gallery Square, take a witchcraft-themed tour of the World Gallery and enjoy bubbles on the Bandstand, Halloween crafts and our special spooky music playlist. Free, drop in.
Exhibitions and Displays
LAST CHANCE: Dinosaur rEvolution Daily until 3 November, 10am-5.30pm
Which dino features are better – horns, spikes or quills? Did T. rex actually have feathers? And how did some dinosaurs survive extinction?
The first UK showing of Dinosaur rEvolution explores the relationship between dinosaurs and birds in a colourful and fascinating exhibition, which includes five large animatronic models, touchable fossil casts, dino dress up, games, detailed artworks and more.
Tickets: Adult £10, Child £7, Under-3s free, Family of four £23.50, Family of three £21. Horniman Members and Benefactors enjoy free, unlimited entry. Advance booking recommended. Book online at horniman.ac.uk.
Natural History Pop-up Daily, 10am-5.30pm
Visit the Natural History Pop-up display in The Studio for a fresh look at a few familiar and unique specimens from the Horniman’s much-loved natural history collection.
From fossils to foxes and koalas to kiwis, the display highlights the amazing diversity of life on Earth across millions of years, humans’ dependence on the natural world, and action being taken to protect nature for generations to come. Also look out for a selection of songbirds and shells in the Music Gallery. Humans have always been inspired by the sounds of nature and used natural materials to make music of our own.
The Horniman’s famous Walrus is not on display as it gets ready for the reopening of the Natural History Gallery in 2026. Until then you can send it a postcard and it might even reply! (Instagram: @hornimanwalrus)
A tour of natural history across the Horniman Museum and Gardens is available via the free Bloomberg Connects app. Free
Regular events and activities
Family Craft Saturdays, 2-4pm. Last entry 3.30pm
Join in family craft activities inspired by the Horniman’s collections. Learn about some of the 350,000 objects in the Horniman’s collections, and discover more about music, nature, wildlife, and the world around us as you get stuck into some crafts and have fun at these volunteer-run sessions for all the family.
- 21 Sept – make and decorate your own bookmark to keep in your favourite book for International Literacy Day
- 28 Sept – become a sailor for the afternoon and make an ocean treasure map for World Maritime Day.
- 5 and 12 Oct – celebrate Black History Month by making hanging clouds to write your dreams on – inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.
- 19 and 26 Oct – get spooky this Halloween and join us to make bat baskets.
Our Family Craft volunteers were Highly Commended in the Marsh Awards for Volunteers in Museum Learning 2023.
Free. Drop in. Suitable for ages 3+.
100 London Road, Forest Hill SE23 3PQ horniman.ac.uk Check for Opening hours
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