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After almost three years off display, south London’s roundest resident is nearly ready for his comeback. The Horniman Museum has announced that its Natural History Gallery, renamed the Nature Gallery, will reopen on Friday February 5 2027, and its famously overstuffed walrus will be right back in the middle of it.
In case you’re not acquainted, the Victorian taxidermists who stuffed the arctic mammal had never seen a live walrus, so they overfilled him, leaving him smooth, wrinkle-free and a lot rounder than the real thing. He’s been a fan favourite since 1901 (and even has his own Instagram account) but went into storage in March 2024 to allow for restoration work. He was finally winched back into the centre of the refurbished gallery last month and the public will be able to see him again soon.
Beyond the walrus, the Nature Gallery will display more than 2,300 objects from the Horniman’s collection, alongside artist commissions and multi-sensory interactive exhibits. Highlights include a ceiling projection featuring footage from the museum’s own gardens and a display on plastic pollution made with children from a Deptford school. Next door, a hands-on Nature Discovery Den focused on local wildlife has been designed with and for families with young children.
The museum says the gallery will explore people’s connection to and reliance on nature, stories of extinction and climate change, and how we can shape the planet’s future. ‘We can’t wait for these new spaces to be open so we can welcome everyone to share the wonder and beauty of nature,’ said Horniman chief executive Gordon Seabright.
The gallery, which is part of the Grade II-listed museum building, dates back to 1901 and the refurb has kept many of its historic display cases and architectural features. It’s the final part of the museum’s £12.5m Nature + Love project, timed to its 125th birthday. Back in May, the Horniman opened a nature play area, family-friendly café, community garden and interactive trail in its grounds.
The museum is also running a crowdfunder to raise £30,000 towards the new gallery. It had passed £14,000 by the start of October and runs until 29 October.
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