{"id":2797,"date":"2026-08-23T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jvdbosch.com\/?p=2797"},"modified":"2026-08-27T09:12:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T09:12:40","slug":"ive-lived-in-south-london-for-3-years-but-ive-just-discovered-its-biggest-gem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.jvdbosch.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/23\/ive-lived-in-south-london-for-3-years-but-ive-just-discovered-its-biggest-gem\/","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019ve lived in South London for 3 years \u2014 but I\u2019ve just discovered its biggest gem"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"The\t<\/div>
A day out at the Horniman Museum will never disappoint (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I might not have been born in South London<\/a>, but having lived here for three years, I feel like I\u2019ve officially become a local<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

I’ve spent hours in the walled garden in Brixton<\/a>, read my book with a glass of wine at Backstory in Balham, and enjoyed half a dozen rounds of Drag Bingo at Merton Abbey Mills.<\/p>\n

I defend our patch south of the river till I’m blue in the face, and despite loving all that North London has to offer, can never see myself making the move.<\/p>\n

However, despite my bravado, it wasn’t actually until a few weeks ago that I stumbled across South London’s ‘best-kept secret’.<\/p>\n

The Horniman Museum and Gardens is situated in Forest Hill and it’s quickly becoming my favourite place in the city.<\/p>\n

It’s free, filled with green spaces, bursting with character, and has an incredible view of the London skyline \u2014 and that’s just the beginning.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
@babatunde_roy<\/a> <\/p>\n

London has a FREE museum with gardens, aquarium, farm, butterflies AND a view \ud83d\ude2d Why is the Horniman not on every list?? \ud83d\udccdHorniman Museum and Gardens, 100 London Rd, SE23 3PQ Important information Museum – Free Gardens – Free Views – Free Farmer’s Market – Free City Farm – Free Aquarium – \u00a36 Butterfly House – \u00a38.70 Crazy Golf – \u00a37 #hornimanmuseum<\/a> #freelondon<\/a> #london<\/a> #thingstodoinlondon<\/a> #foresthill<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u266c original sound – Babatunde Roy<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Having planned to spend a Sunday getting lost in a museum, I ended up at the Horniman for a rather embarrassing reason.<\/p>\n

Nursing a horrific hangover, I begrudged going all the way into Central London to visit the Tate Modern or British Museum and so convinced my girlfriend that we should find an exhibition closer to home.<\/p>\n

I’d remembered some friends mentioning that their favourite museum was in South London, so after a quick WhatsApp<\/a> exchange we were on the bus from Brixton station to Forest Hill.<\/p>\n

The Horniman Museum is pretty hard to miss, instantly recognisable by the large clock tower seen from the street.<\/p>\n

Entrance is free and as we walked up the path towards the main gardens, the noise of the nearby traffic began to fade and we found ourselves drawn towards the smell of samosas drifting down from the top of the hill.<\/p>\n

What is there to do at the Horniman Museum? <\/h2>\n
\n

\n\t\t\t\tLatest London news\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
\n