We went to the Horniman, which feels psychologically a long way away, although not as the crow flies. I was interested to see its display policy, given that its combination of anthropology and evolutionary natural history is so wildly unfashionable. I thought it was handled well, making it obvious the extent to which its origins lie in Horniman’s wide-ranging interests as a tea planter, but emphasising the benefits of his internationalism and including contemporary works, like an I-phone. The displays were done by Ralph Appelbaum Associates, who also did the Weltmuseum in Vienna.
It begins with a display of Horniman’s beetles, which perfectly conveys his taxonomic interests:-

Ammonites:-

I liked this wolf eyeing up a bloodhound:-

I can’t remember what these were (the nervous system of a cat ?):-

Guanaco hoof collar:-

Tattooed Memory by Temsuyanger Longkumer:-

Net bags from Oceania:-

Glass spearheads:-

A gut parka:-

A kayak model:-

Agban, the deputy commander in chief of the Benin army:-

And a priest:-

An inspiring report. Seeing the original notes on the beetles is wonderful. The net bags were familiar from the RA’s Oceania show, which you’ll be all too familiar with and I loved. And the gut parka, what an artefact! I must learn more about Horniman and get back to Forest Hill as soon as the pandemic allows.