River & Rowing Museum Summer Holiday Activities – Now taking bookings

  • The River & Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames has revealed its spectacular summer series including lots of family-friendly activities running between the 29th of July to 22nd August.
  • Taking inspiration from the current Games at Henley exhibition, and in anticipation of the coming Olympics, get crafty at caterpillar playtime and making your show-jump ready hobby horse alongside much more.
  • NEW – River & Rowing Museum has launched a weekly Work & Play club to support local working families with childcare.
  • The museum is now open seven days a week.
  • Book your tickets here!

In the run-up to the summer holidays, the River & Rowing Museum has unveiled its programme of activities to keep the little ones entertained.

Here’s a sneak peek at what’s on offer:

WEEK ONE: Caterpillar Playtime, T-Shirt Printing, Hobby Horses!

Dates: Monday 29th July – Thursday 1st August

  • Find out how to play all sorts of ball games. Then make a caterpillar with a ball and a cardboard cylinder.
  • Design and create a T-shirt inspired by our new exhibition, The Games!
  • Make a hobby horse smart enough to show jump. Find out more about the importance of horses to Henley’s history.

WEEK TWO: Toad’s Travels, Summer Fete, Musketeers!

  • Dates: Monday 5th August – Thursday 8th August

WEEK THREE: Teddy Triathlon, RRM Sports Gala, Screen Printing!

  • Dates: Monday 5th August – Thursday 8th August

WEEK FOUR: Merry Mascots, Scavenger Hunt, Storytelling & Puppetry!

  • Dates: Monday 12th August – Thursday 15th August

EVERY WEEK: Work & Play Wednesdays Holiday Club

  • Dates: Every Wednesday between 19th August – 22nd August – 9.30am – 4pm.
  • £26 pp
  • Ages: Primary aged children.

If you’re struggling for childcare over the summer holidays and are looking for something enriching and engaging for your children to do whilst you work or whilst you take a break, look no further than Work and Play Wednesdays. Each week children will be introduced to various art techniques by the museums talented art tutor Camilla. They will learn art forms such as screen printing, block printing, drawing, collage, photography and much more as well as social skills such as teamwork. The club will run from 9.30am – 4pm and all we ask is that you do your work or life admin from our lovely café with views across the Meadows or our dedicated meeting room.

What else is on at the River & Rowing Museum

Alongside the exciting list of activities, make sure to dive into everything else the museum has to offer.  Make sure to step into Space Vault, currently on display. The Space Vault Exhibition showcases one of the UK’s largest private collections of space artefacts, and lands in the River & Rowing Museum’s Kirkham Gallery. Using immersive visuals and unique artifacts, visitors will travel through eleven curated stories of human space exploration. The exhibition incorporates rare and historic objects brought back to Earth from the lunar surface, low-Earth orbit and outer space, from NASA’s Apollo missions and the Soviet space era to the US and Russian space shuttle programs, International Space Station and SpaceX.

Also, now on display – The Games at Henley exhibition – which explores over a century of global competition and looks ahead to Paris 2024 in the historic setting of Henley-on-Thames. The exhibition will examine both the 1908 and 1948 Games, the people who made it possible, and the legacy the Games have had for the modern Olympians and Paralympians who call Henley home.

The town of Henley is known worldwide for its rowing heritage and is the only venue to host rowing at the Olympics twice, first in 1908 and then again in 1948. Despite a change in regulations which means that Henley will not host the rowing again, the area’s deep sporting roots remain with strong connections to the Games.

Join us this summer at the River & Rowing Museum for a season full of fun, learning, and adventure!

 

ENDS

Notes to Editors

About the River & Rowing Museum

The River & Rowing Museum, designed by architect Sir David Chipperfield, was opened in 1998 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Museum won the Royal Fine Art Commission’s Building of the Year in the UK and the National Heritage Museum of the Year in 1999.

The Museum has five permanent galleries:

  • River: Dive into stories of the mighty, yet ecologically fragile, River Thames. Learn more about the wildlife that calls it home, the landscapes and livelihoods it has shaped, and the art and culture it has inspired.
  • Rowing: Unleash your inner Olympian with hands-on and interactive exhibits that immerse you in the Olympic sport of rowing, from its historical roots to the international sport it is today.
  • John Piper: The River & Rowing Museum has the UK’s only dedicated gallery to the work of celebrated Modern British artist, and Henley local, John Piper. Experience first-hand his artistic versatility, from painting and drawing to stained glass and ceramics.
  • Henley: Learn about the history of our famous town. From Stone Age settlements to river life and rowing regattas, the history of Henley is told through objects as diverse as Iron Age hoards to steam launches and paintings – including Jan Siebrecht’s Henley from the Wargrave Road painted in 1698.
  • The Wind in the Willows: A perfect introduction to Kenneth Grahame’s famous story “The Wind in the Willows” for children and adults alike. The famous tale of friendship between four riverbank companions is retold in theatrical 3D, with a magical soundscape for all the family.

Visitor Information

  • Address: The River & Rowing Museum, Mill Meadows, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1BF.
  • Tel: 01491 415600
  • Email: museum@rrm.co.uk
  • Entry to the café and museum shop is free of charge.

For tickets visit the museum’s website: https://rrm.co.uk/whats-on/