Visualisation of the new gallery Pic: Horniman Museum

A multi-million pound expansion of the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill will add an extra gallery showcasing more than 3,000 different objects from around the world.

The Museum says the new World Gallery will exhibit what it means to be a human through “human creativity, imagination and adaptability”.

Work on the new gallery is underway and on schedule to be opened in June.  The museum received  £3.3m from The Heritage Lottery Fund and a little over £25,000 through Crowdfunder. Numerous organisations and foundations have also supported the project, which is estimated to cost a total of £4.6m.

The Horniman Museum focuses on anthropology, which will be continued in the World Gallery. The gallery is going to exhibit some interesting pieces, such as charms and pottery, which will portray how people live in different parts of the world. The pieces originate from the Americas, Europe, Africa, Oceania and Asia. The exhibition is also going to include a bow of a boat used by Libyan refugees, which was found in Italy back in 2013.

About half of the pieces are new but the gallery will also feature visitors’ favourite pieces previously seen at the Horniman. Some of these objects were displayed at the opening of the Horniman back in 1901.

Janet Vitmayer, Chief Executive of the Horniman Museum and Gardens said: “The opening of the World Gallery will put anthropology back on centre stage at the Horniman. It will reconnect us with Frederick Horniman’s desire to share his excitement and enthusiasm for the way collections can open our minds to the many different ways people live their lives. The strength of our extraordinary collections lie in shining a light on these human stories across time and across continents.”

Some of the money will go into funding repairs to the existing building such as tackling damp and poor lighting.

Visualisation of the new gallery Pic: Horniman Museum