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Horniman Museum: Ett steg mot ekologiskt engagemang med Nature + Love Initiative
The Horniman Museum and Gardens in London is set to complete and launch its Nature + Love Initiative, secured through a significant Heritage Fund Grant. This project is a key part to the museum’s broader commitment to its Climate and Ecology Manifesto, as it promises to transform the Horniman Museum into a beacon of environmental education and sustainability while also inviting visitors of all ages to create a deeper connection with nature.
A Commitment to Climate Action
In 2019, the Horniman Museum declared a climate and ecological emergency, recognizing the urgent need to act against the fast-growing environmental crisis. In response to this, the museum created its Climate and Ecology Manifesto—a forward-thinking and inspiring commitment to reduce its environmental impact, create positive changes in and around the community, and encourage visitors to reflect on their relationships with the natural world.
The Nature + Love Initiative is a major part of the manifesto, designed to raise awareness and promote sustainable practices while celebrating the beauty and significance of local ecosystems. The project approach integrates education, sustainability, and community engagement with interactive spaces and exhibits for learning opportunities.
Engaging Families and Children
A key feature of the Nature + Love initiative is the creation of the Nature Explorers Action Zone, a new, immersive play area designed for families and children under 5. This interactive space will bring nature to life in a fun and accessible way, inviting children to explore the species found locally at the Horniman Gardens – Foxes, bees, grass snakes, butterflies, and thistles.
Alongside the play area, a brand-new cafe will open, offering a nature-inspired menu with more vegetarian and vegan options to coincide with the museum’s sustainability efforts. This will be a gathering place for families, where they can enjoy refreshments and learn about sustainable food practices in the gardens.
The Nature Explorers Action Zone also serves as a gateway to the museum’s historically significant Nature Trail, which will be opened to the public for the first time. The trail, designed as a safe space for local wildlife, has hidden habitats that support birds, wildflowers, and other species, bridging the gap between urban spaces and natural environments.
A Focus on Sustainable Gardening and Education
Another major component of the project is the transformation of Horniman Gardens into a Sustainable Gardening Zone. This will include a new workshop space dedicated to sustainable gardening practices, where visitors can learn about eco-friendly cultivation techniques and engage with the garden’s seasonal activities.
Key features of the zone include a new glasshouse, which will be heated by air-source heat pumps, and a variety of outdoor learning stations focusing on sustainable gardening, composting, rainwater collection, and even wormery. These initiatives aim to provide visitors with practical knowledge about how they can contribute to the fight against climate change, while connecting with the land.
Rediscovering Nature Through Art and Exhibits
The Nature + Love Initiative will also encompass the redisplay of the Natural History Gallery, a significant renovation set to open in 2026. The new gallery will explore the interconnectedness of humans and nature, examining how human activity has altered the planet and highlighting the need for conservation. The redesign will focus on central themes:
- Nature and You – Exploring the personal relationship between humans and the environment.
- Exploring Nature – A deep dive into local ecosystems and species
- Big Ideas – Challenging Visitors to think about the future of the planet.
- Extinction and On the Brink – Showcasing species at risk due to human impact
- Nature Needs You – You Need Nature – Encouraging action to preserve biodiversity
The new displays will feature contributions from community groups and collaborative projects that highlight the ways in which people and nature interact, with a focus on environmental activism and collective action.
A Green Future for Horniman
This initiative is part of the museum’s broader commitment to sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint. Over the past few years, Horniman has made strides in minimizing waste and pollution, including composting 97% of its organic waste, eliminating single single-use plastics, and reusing water from its aquarium and gardens. The museum has also implemented energy-efficient practices, such as LED lighting and sustainable construction methods, and is aiming to become Greenhouse Gas neutral by 2040.
Through its Nature + Love initiative, the Horniman Museum is setting the stage for a more sustainable and ecologically aware future, inviting visitors to reflect on their relationship with nature and become part of the solution to climate change and ecological crisis we face today.
A Timeline for Transformation
- Autumn 2024: Work begins on the Horniman Gardens.
- Autumn 2025: The new outdoors spaces open.
- Spring 2026: The new cafe opens alongside a public events program across all galleries.
- Later in 2026: The redesigned Natural History Gallery will open to the public.
With these changes on the horizon, the Horniman Museum is becoming a leading institution for environmental education, offering an inspiring model for museums elsewhere to follow their eff orts in addressing climate change and ecological sustainability.
For more information on the Horniman Museum and its ongoing projects, visit Horniman Museum’s Nature + Love Project.
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