If you have visited the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill, then you would have seen the famous, wrinkle-free overstuffed walrus which has been on display since it arrived in 1901.

Soon, the walrus will make its first trip outside the museum for more than 100 years.

From May 25, it will be in pride of place at the Turner Contemporary museum’s exhibition Curiosity: Art & The Pleasure of Knowing in Margate.

Alison McKay, media officer, told me many visitors to the Horniman relate stories of their visits to the museum as children and their memories of seeing this splendid creature on display.

It was collected by Victorian hunter James Hubbard and became one of the first exhibits at the Horniman when it opened in 1901.

The museum was founded by Frederick John Horniman who had inherited his father’s tea business, the biggest tea trader in the world.

John’s wealth from the tea trade allowed him to endulge his lifelong passion for collecting.

He travelled extensively and amassed more than 3,000 items ranging from natural history, cultural artefacts and musical instruments.

In 1911, an additional building, originally containing a lecture hall and library, was donated by Frederick Horniman’s son Emslie.

Both buildings were designed by Charles Harrison Townsend in the Arts and Crafts style.

Today, the Horniman has a collection of 350,000 objects and the ethnography and music collections have ‘designated status’.

It is a museum noted for its layout and collection of stuffed animals, of which the old walrus takes pride of place.

We hope he enjoys his trip to the seaside.

He cannot possibly outshine JMW Turner but he will be noticed.

You can bet on it.