There are around 350,000 objects in the collections. Find out more about how we look after them and how you can access them.
The collections are looked after and conserved for research, study and exhibition.
In these pages, you can learn more about where the majority of our collections are kept, how they are cared for, and how you can access them, whether as a loan, a visit to the stores or by requesting imagery.
Please note: the Horniman is unable to respond to requests for valuations. We will also only respond to enquiries for object verifications for which we hold the archives.
Find out more about our archive collections.
Our collections on other websites
Our collections have been featured on other websites, including:
- Just under 4,000 objects relating to food and drink are listed on Europeana
- 151 objects, mainly from our musical instrument collection and institutional archive, are listed on Exploring 20th Century London
- Original factory records of production and sales of Wheatstone & Co. concertinas on www.horniman.info
- 200 oil paintings are featured on the website ArtUK
- 3 musical instruments from our collection are featured in the Museum of London’s mobile phone app Soundtrack to London
- 71 objects are listed in an online database Japanese Buddhist Objects in European Collections
- Art Fund list a number of objects which we acquired with their support
- You can listen to an audio description of the Blue Earth sculpture by Taslim Martin in this Art UK playlist.
The Study Collections Centre is the Horniman’s offsite storage facility which houses the majority of the Museum’s collections.
Find out more
The Collections Conservation and Care team sets the standards and guidelines for the preservation of the collections whether on display, in storage or on loan.
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