I’ve lived in South London for 3 years — but I’ve just discovered its biggest gem

A day out at the Horniman Museum will never disappoint (Picture: Getty)

I might not have been born in South London, but having lived here for three years, I feel like I’ve officially become a local.

I’ve spent hours in the walled garden in Brixton, read my book with a glass of wine at Backstory in Balham, and enjoyed half a dozen rounds of Drag Bingo at Merton Abbey Mills.

I defend our patch south of the river till I’m blue in the face, and despite loving all that North London has to offer, can never see myself making the move.

However, despite my bravado, it wasn’t actually until a few weeks ago that I stumbled across South London’s ‘best-kept secret’.

The Horniman Museum and Gardens is situated in Forest Hill and it’s quickly becoming my favourite place in the city.

It’s free, filled with green spaces, bursting with character, and has an incredible view of the London skyline — and that’s just the beginning.

Having planned to spend a Sunday getting lost in a museum, I ended up at the Horniman for a rather embarrassing reason.

Nursing a horrific hangover, I begrudged going all the way into Central London to visit the Tate Modern or British Museum and so convinced my girlfriend that we should find an exhibition closer to home.

I’d remembered some friends mentioning that their favourite museum was in South London, so after a quick WhatsApp exchange we were on the bus from Brixton station to Forest Hill.

The Horniman Museum is pretty hard to miss, instantly recognisable by the large clock tower seen from the street.

Entrance is free and as we walked up the path towards the main gardens, the noise of the nearby traffic began to fade and we found ourselves drawn towards the smell of samosas drifting down from the top of the hill.

What is there to do at the Horniman Museum?

A Sunday at the Horniman Museum and Gardens starts at the weekend market.

Situated directly next to the bandstand, you’ll find food stalls, vendors selling ceramics, vinyls, and jewellery and grocers pedalling some incredible organic produce.

Next to the bandstand is an incredible panoramic view of London (Picture: Getty)

With stunning views of the entire city, this is the perfect spot to perch and eat your lunch, people-watching the visitors stroll from one stand to the next.

And on certain weekends throughout the year, the bandstand is also where the museum hosts events and celebrations.

Coming up in August is ‘Music Jerk ‘n Tings’, a day festival celebrating Caribbean culture with live music and family activities, and a Wild Champagne Making and Tasting workshop.

The Kusuma Nature Play Area doesn’t require any booking and has a climbing web, den building frame, timber balance beams, and log steps.

Each corner of the museum attracts different visitors, all looking for unique ways to spend their day out (Picture: Getty)

If you double back on yourself and stroll back down the hill you’ll spot the entrance to the main building alongside what I would argue is the best museum cafe in the South East.

Colicci is an amazing spot serving fresh baked goods, sandwiches, salads, and an array of hot meals. I personally had an incredible smashed burger during my most recent visit.

Top tip, do not leave without trying the Lemon Drizzle cake.

Besides buying yourself a sweet treat, the only other time you’ll need to bring out your purse is if you want to enter either the Butterfly House or the Aquarium.

For an adult, tickets are £8.70 and £5.70, respectively.

One small warning, previous visitors have emphasised that the butterflies have no sense of personal space, so it might be best to skip this one if you have an aversion to flying bugs.

The main museum is totally free to explore.

Inside you’ll find the incredible World Gallery — a single large space housing over 3,000 objects from different cultures around the world.

You can also read stories about climate change, migration and displacement, and lay eyes on artwork and objects from ancient civilisations.

The museum is constantly spotlighting stories you rarely see in mainstream media.

The exhibition I recently saw focused on Indian transgender culture, through images captured by Zoya Thomas Lobo, India’s first transgender photojournalist.

It was incredibly fascinating and made me feel all the better for deciding to skip London’s more ‘popular’ attractions.

How do you get to the Horniman Museum?

Even if you live north of the river, don’t let that stop you from visiting this hidden gem.

The museum not only has a bus stop directly outside but is also just a five to ten minute walk from Forest Hill station, which serves the Windrush line and National Rail.

Now, off you go!

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