The River & Rowing Museum in

Henley-on-Thames Henley-on-Thames ( ) is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England, northeast of Reading, west of Maidenhead, southeast of Oxford and west of London (by road), near the tripoint of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckin ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

, England, is located on a site at Mill Meadows by the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...

. It has three main themes represented by major permanent galleries, the non-tidal

, the international

sport Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically att ...

and the local town of

History

The impetus for the museum largely came from

David Lunn-Rockliffe David Lunn-Rockliffe (28 December 1924 – 23 August 2011) was a British businessman, rowing supporter, and co-founder of the River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames, England. Lunn-Rockliffe was the youngest son of an English father, a doct ...

, formerly Executive Secretary of the

Amateur Rowing Association British Rowing, formerly the Amateur Rowing Association (ARA), is the national governing body for the sport of rowing (both indoor and on-water rowing). It is responsible for the training and selection of individual rowers and crews representi ...

. The building was designed by the modernist

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

Sir

David Chipperfield Sir David Alan Chipperfield, (born 18 December 1953) is an English architect. He established David Chipperfield Architects in 1985. His major works include the River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire (1989–1998); the Muse ...

and has won awards for the building itself, including the

Royal Fine Art Commission The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) was an executive non-departmental public body of the UK government, established in 1999. It was funded by both the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for C ...

''Building of the Year'' award in 1999. It was also UK National Heritage ''Museum of the Year'' in 1999. It was officially opened in November 1998 by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

. Major benefactors include The Arbib Foundation run by local businessmen Sir Martyn Arbib and

Urs Schwarzenbach Urs Ernst Schwarzenbach, CStJ (born 1948) is a UK-based Swiss financier. In May 2020, the ''Sunday Times'' estimated his net worth at £978 million. Early life Urs Schwarzenbach was born in Thalwil in 1948, and raised in Küsnacht. He is ...

. The Museum has been operating as an independent charity and is celebrating its 20th birthday in 2018. 1998 Opening exhibition

Julian Trevelyan Julian Otto Trevelyan (20 February 1910 – 12 July 1988) was an English artist and poet. Early life Trevelyan was the only child to survive to adulthood of Robert Calverley Trevelyan and his wife Elizabeth van der Hoeven. His grandfather wa ...

'River Thames' Etchings. In 2004, a ''

Wind in the Willows ''The Wind in the Willows'' is a children's novel by the British novelist Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. It details the story of Mole, Ratty, and Badger as they try to help Mr. Toad, after he becomes obsessed with motorcars and get ...

'' attraction for families was installed. This is a walk-through recreation using models, sets and an audio-guide of all the E.H. Shepard illustrations from the

Kenneth Grahame Kenneth Grahame ( ; 8 March 1859 – 6 July 1932) was a British writer born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is most famous for ''The Wind in the Willows'' (1908), a classic of children's literature, as well as '' The Reluctant Dragon''. Both books w ...

book. In 2006, the museum completed an extensive refurbishment of its Rowing Gallery, thanks to a major donation by Urs Schwarzenbach. Now known as the ''Schwarzenbach International Rowing Gallery'', it tells the story of rowing from its beginnings in

ancient Greece Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cult ...

to the modern

Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

. Thematically arranged the gallery includes sections devoted to the

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge becam ...

Boat Race Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wate ...

, World & Olympic rowing, professional rowing in the 19th and early 20th centuries, boat building, coaching and nutrition. The museum now displays a unique collection of video clips. A feature in the ''Schwarzenbach International Rowing Gallery'' is an interactive exhibit ''In the Cox's Seat'' that allows visitors to sit in a rowing boat and experience a race at

Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It differs from the thre ...

Temporary exhibitions have included work by the Thames-based painter Chris Gollon, the local 20th century artist John Piper: 'The Master of Diversity in Association with Bohun Gallery and the Michael Gyselynck John Piper Collection, one of his collaborators, the potter

Geoffrey Eastop Geoffrey Eastop (16 January 1921 – 25 December 2014) was an English potter. Eastop was born in London, where he studied at the Croydon School of Art and Goldsmiths' College. He also studied at the Academie Ranson in Paris. During World W ...

, the local painter Nick Schlee, and the local furniture maker Philip Koomen. In 2006, there was an exhibition by John Piper's grandson,

Luke Piper Luke Piper (born 1966) is an English landscape painter, especially in watercolours. '' The Guardian'' newspaper has described him as "''arts establishment aristocracy''". Biography Luke Piper is the son of the painter Edward Piper. He is also th ...

. Between November 2006 and February 2007 there is an exhibition of the illustrations of E.H. Shepard called ''The Man who Drew Pooh & Toad''. The museum was one of the first to have a website, which existed before the building opened.

Themes

The Museum includes four themes explored through a wide variety of exhibitions and events across four galleries and special exhibitions: * The past, present and future of the

* The historic riverside community of

Henley on Thames Henley-on-Thames ( ) is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England, northeast of Reading, west of Maidenhead, southeast of Oxford and west of London (by road), near the tripoint of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Bucking ...

* The international sport of

* The

Galleries

The Wind in the Willows Gallery

The permanent

exhibition includes Mr Toad, Ratty, Badger, and Mole to a location on the bank of the River Thames, whose creatures and landscapes provided the inspiration behind the original book. E.H. Shepard’s illustrations are included as 3-D models that depict the adventures of Mr Toad, Ratty, and their friends. The Museum has rights to use the original images by Shepard, who explored the meadows and willow-fringed river around nearby

Pangbourne Pangbourne is a large village and civil parish on the River Thames in Berkshire, England. Pangbourne has its own shops, schools, a railway station on the Great Western main line and a village hall. Outside its grouped developed area is an i ...

in search of settings for these illustrations. The exhibition follows the original storyline, using theatrical lighting and sound techniques to take visitors on a journey through the world of ''The Wind in the Willows''. Interactive exhibits and specially developed audio guides help visitors feel a part of the story.

Thames Gallery

The Thames Gallery is the largest of the River & Rowing Museum's permanent galleries. It provides an interpretation of the River Thames from source to sea. The River Thames is a key element of life in the

Thames Valley The Thames Valley is an informally-defined sub-region of South East England, centred on the River Thames west of London, with Oxford as a major centre. Its boundaries vary with context. The area is a major tourist destination and economic hub, ...

and the country as a whole. The gallery offers visitors a range of perspectives, looking at the river as an inspiration for the arts, as a natural habitat for wildlife and as both a source of pleasure and a means of trade. In a mix of music, art, photography, original objects, boats and oral testimony the gallery takes the visitor on a journey from the source at Kemble to the

Thames Barrier The Thames Barrier is a retractable barrier system built to protect the floodplain of most of Greater London from exceptionally high tides and storm surges moving up from the North Sea. It has been operational since 1982. When needed, it is c ...

. Exhibits from local and private collections illustrate the historic and social importance of the river, while interactive displays enable visitors to learn more about river management and water supply. Aspects of the Thames in the exhibition include: * Travel from the hidden source to the sea * Thames paintings in the gallery and on terminals * The wildlife and the bugs that make their home in and alongside the river * Music, poetry and literature inspired by the Thames, from Conrad to

The Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhyth ...

* The craftsmanship of boat builders from log boats to skiffs and punts * How the Thames has been managed throughout the ages * The importance of weirs, locks and bridges and meet some of their custodians * Stories told by members of riverside communities

Schwarzenbach International Rowing Gallery

There is a contemporary painting by the entrance, ''Gollon At Henley'', painted by Chris Gollon and commissioned by the River & Rowing Museum in 2008. The image shows a defeated crew at

. Inside the gallery, the story of international rowing is presented, allowing the visitor to experience the sport and understand what it is like to compete on the water.

Rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically att ...

is one of the world's oldest sports and the gallery tells its story in detail. On display are many objects no previously shown in public, film footage showing races, and a range of interactive exhibits of general interest. Sections include exhibits on the following: * Six communities who relied on the oar for their livelihood * A race at the Henley Royal Regatta in 360° panoramic vision * Rowing across the world, and throughout the centuries * Races at the

, etc. * Professional rowers, sports stars of their day * Coaches and boat builders whose work has allowed champions to flourish * Racing craft spanning 200 years of design and innovation

Invesco Perpetual Henley Gallery

The

Invesco Perpetual Invesco, based in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, is one of the largest investment managers in the United Kingdom, managing £91.59bn in assets on behalf of individual clients, fund platforms, nominees, pension funds and other corporate institu ...

Henley Gallery tells the story of the town of Henley-on-Thames, built by the river. The history presented covers industry, arts, the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policie ...

, sports, etc. An interactive touch-screen allows visitors to take a virtual tour around the streets of Henley, travel back through time to when the town was established, see how it has changed over time, and how it became famous for rowing. The Museum's latest acquisition is an Iron Age Hoard. It is made up of 32 gold coins dating from approximately 50 AD. It was found in Henley in 2003 and is the only hoard of British-made

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly ap ...

coins from

to have survived intact. They have been acquired jointly by the River & Rowing Museum and the

Ashmolean Museum The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology () on Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, is Britain's first public museum. Its first building was erected in 1678–1683 to house the cabinet of curiosities that Elias Ashmole gave to the University o ...

in Oxford. Henley was established in the 12th century when its location by the river made it convenient as an inland port for shipping timber, grain, and firewood to the rapidly growing city of London. From this time onwards, the town's fortunes were linked to the river and transport. Boats, stagecoaches, railway engines and motors have in turn brought goods and people to the town for business and pleasure.

has made the town of

an international centre of rowing. Established in 1839, and gaining a royal patron in 1851, the Regatta brings together leading international oarsmen and women and is considered to be part of the English social calendar. Town and Regatta celebrations since 1899 are presented on film in the gallery. Painted in 1698 by the Dutch master

Jan Siberechts Jan Siberechts (1627–1703) was a Flemish landscape painter who after a successful career in Antwerp, emigrated in the latter part of his life to England. In his early works, he developed a personal style of landscape painting, with an emphasis ...

, ''Henley from the

Wargrave Wargrave () is a historic village and civil parish in Berkshire, England. The village is primarily on the River Thames but also along the confluence of the River Loddon and lies on the border with southern Oxfordshire. The village has many o ...

Road'' has its own room off the Henley Gallery. A masterpiece displaying the multifaceted life of the town and surrounding countryside, its origins are only now coming to light. The painting is a record of social history, showing the river trade, agriculture, and social hierarchy, alongside a still familiar view of the town. ''Henley from the Wargrave Road'' was purchased with the assistance of the

National Art Collections Fund Art Fund (formerly the National Art Collections Fund) is an independent membership-based British charity, which raises funds to aid the acquisition of artworks for the nation. It gives grants and acts as a channel for many gifts and bequests, as ...

and the

Heritage Lottery Fund The National Lottery Heritage Fund, formerly the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), distributes a share of National Lottery funding, supporting a wide range of heritage projects across the United Kingdom. History The fund's predecessor bodies were ...

Special exhibitions

Treasures Gallery, Sir Graham Kirkham Gallery and The Wall provide venues for special exhibitions throughout the year. The Museum's exhibition programme is designed around its major themes and includes exhibitions that have a family appeal as well as more specialist exhibitions. Topics range from celebrations of major events and anniversaries to arts, crafts, and sculpture or in-depth investigations.

References

External links

River and Rowing Museum

American Friends of the River & Rowing Museum

Original website

1998 website
{{Authority control 1998 establishments in England Museums established in 1998 Sports museums in England Museums in Oxfordshire Maritime museums in England Rowing on the River Thames History of rowing Museums on the River Thames Local museums in Oxfordshire David Chipperfield buildings Henley-on-Thames