I can only draw stick figures!

There were lots of school kids at the Horniman Museum today, armed with clipboards and pencils, trying to draw various stages of evolution. They were all quite small though not small enough to step over. Mind you, they weren’t that annoying and didn’t really get in the way. The museum is big enough that any contact is kept to a minimum.

The Horniman was once the home of Frederick John Horniman (1835-1906) who collected a whole load of natural history stuff from around the world, and displayed it in his house. By 1890 he’d moved (his wife insisted that she couldn’t move for the objects) and he opened his old house to the public so they could come come and look at his bits and pieces, much like Walpole did at Strawberry Hill. He gave the place to the London County Council for the benefit of everyone and, on his death, they took it over and turned it into a public museum.

The original museum was pulled down and the one that’s there now built to replace it.

But it wasn’t just the building and the collection of objects. The house was situated in quite an extensive park and the council was given this as well.

Over the years, both the museum and the gardens have grown into what is now a delightful spot beyond East Dulwich in Forest Hill. And it’s just an hour from Waterloo on the 176 bus.

On a sunny, warm and windless day, I bet it’s a beautiful spot to visit. It was okay today but was a bit chilly on the park bench where I chose to have my coffee rather than in the scary cafe which seemed to be full of empty strollers and aimlessly wandering, squawking, sticky fingered, overtired toddlers.

Inside, the museum was lovely although half of it was closed while they re-order the anthropology section, something I must go back for. This will also be when they have guidebooks again, or so I was informed by the helpful young chap in the shop.

There is also an aquarium but it was overflowing with kids so I didn’t bother looking in. This will have to be visited later as well. Probably when I take Mirinda because she loves aquariums.

She’ll also love the gardens which stretch for 36 acres over and around a big hill, the views from which include most of the big London landmarks which you can’t see in this photo.

Actually, standing against the fence, next to the bandstand, you can see all the landmarks but the clouds were very low and the light was very gloomy so the camera couldn’t see anything.

My favourite bit was the displays of insects which always look so meticulously Victorian and put me in mind of Darwin. These beetles, for instance, have a strange appeal…

As I said, about a third of the museum is presently closed as they work to re-display the anthropology collection…which ensures that I’ll definitely return. A very enjoyable visit and even a pleasant bus ride through bits of London I’ve never seen before.

The title of this post comes courtesy of a small girl who, when asked to draw a skeleton of a gorilla (there was one in the display case in front of her) replied to her friend, “Gorilla? But I can only draw stick figures!”