The Horniman Museum is set to open its new Nature Gallery in February 2027, marking the final phase of the museum's £12.5 million Nature + Love transformation project, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The south-east London museum said the fully refurbished space, previously named the Natural History Gallery, had been reimagined to celebrate the variety of life on earth and explore humankind's place within, and impact on nature, according to BBC. Michael Salter-Church MBE, chairman of the museum, said: “Opening these wonderful new spaces marks the end of the Horniman's extraordinary 125th anniversary year.” The Nature Gallery will combine more than 2,300 objects from the Horniman's collection, including its famously overstuffed walrus, as well as artist commissions and multisensory activities. These include a ceiling projection showcasing life on the planet, a display on plastic pollution by a Deptford school and a hands-on nature discovery zone focused on local wildlife. The museum said the gallery explored human connection to and reliance on nature, stories of extinction and climate change, and ideas about how people can shape the planet's future. It is one of a number of developments at the Horniman as part of its Nature + Love project, and is being supported by a £30,000 crowdfunding campaign, which has raised more than £14,000 to date.
