Bright and Early Relaxed Opening: Dinosaur rEvolution @ Horniman Museum and Gardens, London

A special early viewing for neurodivergent families who are unable to visit when the Horniman is busy.
Enjoy our new exhibition Dinosaur rEvolution during this accessible, relaxed event. You will also have a chance to explore some of our other galleries.

The main doors and cafe open at 9am. In case you arrive a little early, our Gardens are open from 7.15am. Please note that the Aquarium will open at its usual time of 10.30am.

More detailed information will be available in the Social Story, coming soon.

If you have any questions, please contact communitylearning@horniman.ac.uk

About Dinosaur rEvolution
Which dino features are better – horns, spikes or quills? Did T-rex actually have feathers? And how did some dinosaurs survive extinction?

The first UK showing of Dinosaur rEvolution explores the relationship between dinosaurs and birds in a colourful and fascinating exhibition, which includes five large animatronic models, touchable fossil casts, dino dress up, games, detailed artworks and more.

Booking
To make a booking and to find out more, please contact communitylearning@horniman.ac.uk or call 020 8291 8690.

Tickets are free, but we welcome donations once – we hope – you’ve had a lovely time.

Please note, companions of disabled visitors, Under 3s, Members and Benefactors always go free.

Information for parents and carers
Welcome to the Horniman. Here is some more information about today’s relaxed opening event called Bright and Early.

Which spaces will be open?
This is a special opening for our Dinosaur rEvolution exhibition, located on the Lower Ground Floor.
We will also be opening some of our main galleries, details of which to be confirmed shortly.
The Gardens are open from 7.15am daily and are a nice place to relax in good weather.
There is also a toilet block in the garden which is open before the museum if you need it.
If you’d like a bit of a rest at any point during the event, there is a Chill Out space, located in the Education Centre.
There are toilets on the Ground Floor, past the Shop. There are more toilets downstairs in Gallery Square, near the exhibitions. Please note, some cleaning might still be taking place when you first arrive.
The Café is open to everyone from 9am.
What time is the event?
The main entrance, the Dinosaur rEvolution exhibition, the Chill Out space and the museum toilets all open at the earlier time of 9am. The Museum’s shop will open at 9.30am.
We will shortly be confirming which of our main galleries will also be open.
At 10am the Museum opens to the public. You are more than welcome to stay, but please be aware that it can get quite busy once we open the doors especially at weekends and school holidays.
The Chill Out space is only available to Bright and Early visitors, and will be open until 10.30am. Although there is no eating or drinking allowed in the Galleries you can eat and drink in the Chill Out space.
There is also a quiet room at the rear of the Music Gallery which will only be available to Bright and Early visitors, and will be open until 11am. Unfortunately eating and drinking is not allowed in this space.
How do I get there?
Please take a look for directions on our plan your visit page.
There are also some handy videos online that give more details about arriving on site and finding your way around.
If there is anything else we can help you with in advance, please get in touch at communitylearning@horniman.ac.uk or on 020 8291 8690 – we are very happy to help.
Please note, we often get deliveries in the morning, so you might notice big vehicles on the Horniman site when you arrive.