London South London

HORNIMAN MUSEUM AND GARDENS. This museum is devoted to the small and fascinating collection of 19th-century tea merchant Frederick Horniman. The African Worlds gallery displays a rich selection of masks, costumes, and religious garb, including Egyptian sarcophagi and Haitian voodoo altars. Above, the Textiles Display showcases temporary exhibits formed from the collection of over 6500 textiles of different countries and fabrics. In the Natural History collection, you’ll find giant stuffed sea and land animals, birds, and insects. The Centenary Gallery, filled with headdresses, masks, and figurines from around the UK, Australia and New Guinea, also traces the curatorial evolution of the museum. In the basement is a small aquarium, organized by habitat. The neighboring hillside garden holds a tiny domestic zoo where crowing roosters and goats make their homes; the 16 acres of colorful flower beds make for a charming stroll. (100 London Rd. Brixton, then Bus #P4 to the Horniman stop. Rail: Forest Hill. Exit the station, cross Dartmouth Rd., and follow A205 for 5min. until it becomes London Rd. ☎020 8699 1872; www.horniman.ac.uk. Wheelchair-accessible. Open daily 10:30am-5:30pm. Gardens open M-Sa 7:30am-dusk, Su 8am-dusk. Free; temporary exhibitions around £5.)