The Horniman Public Museum and Public Park Trust

Analysis

The Horniman Public Museum and Public Park Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in February 1990, 36 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, arts/culture/heritage/science and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 02456393). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and other charitable activities.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Horniman Public Museum and Public Park Trust reported income of £10.4m and spending of £9.5m, spending 92% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £7.2m to £10.4m (+45%), an average of +9.7% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2023, when income rose by 24%. Over the whole period it spent 98% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Horniman Public Museum and Public Park Trust sits at the 99th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 99th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Leeds Culture Trust (£10.3m), The Hall for Cornwall Trust (£10.5m) and The Northampton Theatres Trust Limited (£10.2m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 79%, charitable activities 13%, trading 5.9% and investments 1.1%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £19k. Charitable activities took 86% of spending and raising funds 10%. Reserves of £2.6m would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 143 people.