What’s not to like about Easter?! A long weekend away from work, a massive schedule of sporting events and the opportunity to overdose on chocolate. However, if you feel like you need to leave your sofa, the wonderful Horniman Easter Fair 2019 edition should be high on your list of priorities.
There’ll be an Easter Trail, family friendly theatre, creative workshops as well as face painting and games. If that were not enough, you’ll also have an opportunity to learn to Lindy Hop.
Most of the activities will be free however there might be a small fee for a few activities. It will cost £5 to see a performance of The Ugly Duckling and there will be a £3 fee to meet Zebedee the Boa Constrictor and the Bearded Water Dragons.
If you don’t know the Horniman then there couldn’t be a better time to change that as the museum at this wonderfully family friendly event.
The museum specialises in anthropology with a fantastic, natural history gallery containing a bunch of fascinating exhibits including a famously obese walrus. If you tire of that, then There’s also an aquarium, an art gallery and collection of musical instruments to keep you amused.
The museum is the brainchild of Victorian philanthropist Frederick John Horniman. The avid traveller had made his fortune by trading tea however his real passion was for collecting which he did in prodigious quantities. Having travelled widely to source new supplies of tea, Horniman began to collect some of the weird objects, specimens and artefacts he discovered on his travels. As his impressive collection came to public attention, the philanthropist was increasingly approached by travellers offering him new items for his collection.
The theme for Horniman’s collection was natural history and the art of the diverse communities he encountered on his travels.
His wife was famously reported to have said ‘either the collection goes, or we do’ however both endured with the family’s former home on London Road being turned into what became known as the Surrey House Museum. The museum opened to the public in December.
In 1898 Horniman decided to build a new museum. The building opened to the public on 29 June 1901. From then on, the old Surrey House museum was used as a store room. In the same year the museum was donated to the London County Council.
The museum is completely family friendly with a range of family focused events including a nature trail and a children’s play area where kids can touch and experience some of the museum’s exhibits.
The Horniman Easter Fair will take place on Saturday the 20th of April and Sunday the 21st of April 2019 between 10.30and 4.30pm.
For more information on the Horniman Easter Fair, please click here.
For information about other great activities in London, please click here.
