SEN/D groups

The Museum is around a 10 minute walk from Forest Hill Overground station, and can also be reached on various bus routes (including from Forest Hill station up to the Museum). Bus stops are located outside the Museum, and on the opposite side of London Road (next to a pedestrian crossing).

Small vehicles with blue badges are very welcome to drive onsite, and should access the Museum through the gate on Horniman Drive. Limited parking is also available; please refer to the map below, and contact us for more information. A red drop-off bay is available for coached on London Road.

Upon arrival, please make your way to the Museum’s main entrance. The entrance can be accessed via a level surface if travelling to the Museum by blue-badged minibus or car, and groups are very welcome to disembark on the main Avenue, by the entrance path to the Museum. The entrance can also be accessed uphill, via the London Road entrance, or downhill from the Horniman Drive entrance.

Please note that parts of our Gardens are on a hill. Our Animal Walk and Butterfly House are also located in our Gardens, up a steep incline. Groups travelling by blue-badged vehicles who plan to visit these spaces, are very welcome to disembark at the top of our Gardens, by the Butterfly House.

Gardens map

• Our Museum is located over 3 levels, all of which have level or lift access
• Mon-Friday in term time, our Museum is busiest from 10am-12pm, and our larger school groups usually arrive between 10am-11am. Our Natural History and World Galleries tend to be particularly busy during this time, whilst our Music Gallery and Studio space (when open) are often quieter. Please do ask a member of staff to lower or temporarily turn off the music in the Music Gallery to create a more welcoming space.
• If any members of your group require a break-out space during their visit, please speak to a member of staff. We will do our very best to find a quiet space for you.

• Groups with booked workshops have access to a lunch room, coat and bag storage and separate schools toilets.
• Where possible, we prioritise accommodating groups with SEN/D in our lunch spaces. However, when space is not available, these groups are welcome to eat in the Gardens or Dutch Barn building.
• Please let us know if we can do anything to create a comfortable lunch space for your group. We can provide chairs with arm rests, a cushioned floor space, or book your preferred lunch space.
• Accessible toilets are located in Gallery Square (down one level, via a lift) and in our schools lunch room.
• Unfortunately, we do not currently have changing facilities with a hoist, however please do let us know if any of your group requires a changing table.
• The Horniman has several water refill points; we encourage groups to bring refillable water bottles on their visit to reduce plastic waste.
• Please do not use the Café for picnicking.
• Please do not eat inside the Museum as food attracts pests that damage our collections.
• Our shop stocks small ‘pocket money’ items for pupils who wish to purchase souvenirs.

We can provide sensory packs, fidget toys, magnifiers, ear defenders, wheelchairs, widget timetables and a number of other resources to make our Museum more accessible for your pupils. Please do get in touch ahead of your visit to discuss how we can support your visit.

To ensure your class gets the most out of their visit, we encourage teachers to pre-visit the Museum. This does not need to be booked in advance; just notify our reception desk that you are making a pre-visit and any relevant paid areas that you will need access to.

There are multi-sensory opportunities in our Music Gallery (sound tables), World Gallery (sound totem poles, smell points and tactile areas), Gardens (wild and beautifully planted outdoor spaces, music garden and live animals). You can find out more about our galleries, gardens, exhibitions and living collections on our website.

Unfortunately, the majority of the objects in our galleries cannot be touched. However sensory backpacks are available for students who need additional resources to access and enjoy our spaces, or some extra support during their visit. If you would like to use once during your trip or find out more please email schools@horniman.ac.uk

Use our resources to structure your visit; they are topic and curriculum linked (including Ancient Egypt, Textiles, Toys and Play). You can download the resources, use the images and text to create your own, or request printed copies when you arrive at the Museum with your group. All school groups with booked workshops will receive a set of resources when they arrive, that link to their workshop topic.

Please note that our Natural History Gallery is now closed as part of a major 2 year redevelopment, Nature + Love. The rest of our Galleries, displays and Gardens will be open as usual, with plenty across the site to support your topic (including our Music and World Galleries). Our schools workshops are unaffected.

We will be opening a new, free temporary exhibition about the natural world, animals and their habitats, in September 2024.

Find out what to expect from your visit to the Horniman Museum and Gardens. 

We would love to hear from you.

Contact us on 020 8291 8686 or email schools@horniman.ac.uk to help us plan your session or visit.