Several new outdoor activities will open at the Horniman Museum and Gardens on 21 May 2026, as the Horniman marks its 125th anniversary.
The new experiences across the Horniman’s award-winning 16-acre Gardens will include a nature-themed play area, family-friendly cafe, improved access and interpretation onto the historic Nature Trail, an AR trail, a new nursery glasshouse, and a Community Garden.
Launched as part of the Horniman’s Nature + Love project – an ambitious initiative to create more opportunities for visitors to play, learn and engage in nature, supported by The National Heritage Lottery Fund – the openings mark the start of the Horniman’s 125th anniversary.
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An early look at the Horniman Museum and Gardens’ new nature-themed play area and cafe,
one of a number of new experiences opening at the much loved institution from early Summer 2026 © Feilden Fowles
Kusuma Nature Play
A new nature-themed play area will offer a fun and engaging space for families that will encourage learning and wellbeing through play and connection with nature. The play area will feature a wooden jetty with a slide, climbing webs and lookout points. Other equipment will connect with species local to the Horniman: in particular, the inclusion of a robin-themed area with timber rocker, nest hedge, and robin eggs.
The more adventurous can enjoy log steps, timber balance beams, and a den building frame, while younger children will love the collecting table, leaf stools, and finger maze. The play area will also include a basket swing and sensory multi-seasonal planting that will benefit people and support local biodiversity.
Peronel Craddock, Director of Content at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, said: ‘Play is universal, and learning through outdoor play has proven benefits for children’s wellbeing. This new play area starts with the idea of connecting children with nature through play, in particular the wildlife in our local area. We hope it will encourage families to make the most of our 16 acres of beautiful Gardens, and also act as a gateway into the Museum for anyone who might not otherwise think a museum is fun, free, or for them.’
Family-Friendly Cafe & Picnic Area
A new family-friendly cafe will open adjacent to the play area, run by award-winning family-run cafe group, Colicci which also operates the Horniman’s existing cafe and kiosks.
With nutritious, high quality dining at its core, the cafe menu will feature Colicci’s signature sourdough pizzas, crafted with slow-fermented dough and topped with fresh, seasonal ingredients, as well as a range of healthy grab-and-go options and year-round favourites, including artisan gelato and speciality coffee.
Indoor and outdoor seating will allow visitors to experience the Gardens surroundings while enjoying Colicci’s delicious menu.
Katy Manolescue, Head of Creative at Colicci, said: ‘Opening the doors to this incredible space is a proud moment for us. When we won this contract in 2023, we knew we had a responsibility to elevate the Horniman food offering to match its prestigious reputation. This new cafe allows us to fully realise our vision of hospitality that is harmoniously integrated with nature.’
New Community Garden and Gardens Nursery
A brand new Community Garden developed with local community partners will create a quieter, more secluded spot in the Gardens as an area for respite and reflection, with a programme of activities for adults, young people and families that support a lifelong connection to nature and personal wellbeing.
The Horniman has partnered with the NHS to offer the new Community Garden as a space for outdoor social prescription to support the wellbeing of adults.
Nature-based wellbeing activities for adults will include planting, creativity and art, while the Community Garden will also create an active learning space for young people, with activities like seed bomb creation and practical sessions on how to grow, care for and harvest plants, engaging young people in biodiversity, nutrition and mindful nature connection. The Community Garden and Gardens Nursery will also be used as a location for families to plant and create together.
Nature Trail
Direct, ramped access will take visitors from the play area onto the Horniman’s much-loved Nature Trail. New interpretation panels will include information on the diverse wildlife that thrives on the 800m long Trail, such as stag beetles and the hairy-footed flower bee, as well as on the changing seasons, and the area’s history and connection to the Great North Wood.
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AR Trail: Animals Everywhere!
In partnership with digital visitor engagement experts Smartify, the Horniman will be launching a new AR experience across the 16-acre Gardens: Animals Everywhere!: a free, fun, interactive trail of the Gardens, with a cast of 3D animated creatures for visitors to meet, plus challenges and mini games to play. Visitors will be able to feed the famous Horniman walrus, and discover other favourites from the Horniman’s natural history, local wildlife and living collections – from a giant megalodon to beautiful blue morpho butterflies.
Fully web-based and universally accessible on mobile devices, the trail has been designed to be experienced with minimal barriers. There are no downloads or fees to play; just scan a code to start playing.
Stuart McLeod, Director of London and South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, says: “Animals Everywhere! is a fantastic example of how technology can reduce barriers and inspire curiosity and engagement with our natural heritage. The Horniman offers a fantastic urban green space and this, alongside the wider Nature + Love project, will transform how visitors connect with nature and the heritage on their doorstep.”
Sustainable Gardening and Education
A transformed Gardens Nursery area will feature a new glasshouse, a public terrace, and workshop space offering local communities and other visitors the chance to learn about sustainable gardening.
Information on the Horniman’s sustainable gardening practices, including rainwater harvesting at the new Nursery, planting of the micro forest and xerophytic gardening, will be installed across the Gardens. Visitors will be able to find tips for practicing sustainable gardening at home, and prompts to encourage mindful connection with nature.
Errol Fernandes, Head of Horticulture at the Horniman Museum and Gardens, said: ‘Gardening is a great way to connect with nature, and to nurture ourselves – our coexistence and partnership with the natural world has never been so important. There are so many ways to be sustainable in the way we approach gardening – from choosing plants that are right for the local conditions, to reusing waste building aggregates for planting, creating habitat piles from garden prunings or making your own compost. I hope what we’re doing in the Horniman Gardens will inspire visitors to get in tune with nature in their own green spaces.’
Nature + Love, and 125 Years of the Horniman Museum and Gardens
Nature + Love is the Horniman’s major transformation project that has been supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and aims to inspire a greater understanding of and appreciation for the world we all share, while making the Horniman more accessible and inclusive to all visitors.
In addition to the new experiences opening in the Horniman Gardens in 2026, in early 2027 the Horniman’s popular natural history gallery will reopen to the public. The fully refurbished gallery space will be entirely redisplayed with both familiar favourites and new objects, to explore humankind’s relationship with and impact on the natural world. More details will be announced later in 2026.
Museums Minister Baroness Twycross said: ‘I am delighted we have been able to provide increased support for the Horniman to help deliver their Nature + Love project. It is a great example of how our cultural institutions can connect communities with the world around them.
‘As the Horniman Museum celebrates its 125th anniversary, this new project will provide opportunities for families and young people to learn about the world we live in and engage with nature.’
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