Admission
Tickets
Passes
*Prices including a donation that maximises your spend by enabling us to collect Gift Aid. Non-donation prices: Adult £9.00; Concessions** £7.00; Child (4-17) £6.00
**65+, students, and those with a disability, visible or not
Gift Aid is a Treasury operated scheme that means registered charities can reclaim the tax already paid on donations made to them. When visiting the Museum it means you can offer to make a donation equivalent to the admission price when purchasing your tickets. If you are a UK tax payer the Museum can claim the tax you have already paid on your donation, all we need is your name and address. These details are only used for the Gift Aid scheme. This means we can claim back 25p in every £1 donated and makes a significant contribution to the running costs of the Museum.
Museum and Shop
Open Daily, 10:00am–4:00pm
Closed 25th & 26th December and 1st January; morning only 24th & 31st Dec (closing 1pm)
The Rowing Room Café
Open Daily, 10:00am–4:00pm
School Visits
Monday–Friday, 10:00am–4:00pm
Car Park
Open Daily, 9:00am–5:00pm
Car park is locked and inaccessible from 5.00pm to 9.00am. Parking charges apply.
Annual Passes give the holder free admission for a year from the date of purchase. Please note these are not transferrable – the name of the visitor seeking admission must match that of the member.
Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult (18+).
Home Educators go free, but must pay for accompanying children (please note, this offer runs term time only).
Please ask our team about discounted offers including free entry for Friends of the Museum, Friends of Rowing, Regatta Crew, Art Pass holders and Henley College students, along with reduced price entry for Blue Light and Experience Henley card holders, and many more!
Carers accompanying disabled visitors go free.
Food and drink are not allowed in our gallery spaces.
Please note, parking is not included with day tickets or annual passes and needs to be paid separately on exit. Blue badge holders do not need to pay for parking, but must present their blue badge at the reception desk for free exit.
As of 1st July 2023, we are a cashless site. Payment can be made by card or Apple Pay (or similar device payment).
Shop
Locally-sourced gifts and mementoes of your visit – all with a touch of the riverside.
Our shop has been refurbished to create a warm and welcoming environment specialising in items from local suppliers, including The Henley Distillery, Honeys of Henley and Ace Henley playing cards, along with prints and cards from local artists.
We also stock well-established brands such as St Eval (candles, diffusers and toiletries), Caroline Gardner (cards and gifts), Gibsons (jigsaws) and Sass & Belle (gifts).
Our ‘Outdoors’ section which includes essentials for your canine companion, Kabloom seed bombs and organically produced bird houses.
Our ‘Community Corner’ includes local initiatives, such as Conviktion; bags made a small team of skilled prisoners at HMP Huntercombe. Developing and producing the bags provides the men with purposeful work while at the same time they learn new skills and gain extra confidence which helps them to prepare for release and beyond.
The Rowing Room Café
Our new café, The Rowing Room, is now open with the same opening hours as the Museum.
The team prides themselves on offering locally sourced, high-quality, and good value food and drinks. So why wait? Step inside, unwind, and savour every moment.
Our Galleries
We have 5 permanent galleries, full of fascinating exhibits and fun interactive displays for visitors of all ages to enjoy.
The Henley Gallery delves into the origins of our town and the characters and events that make it the place we know and love today.
The River Gallery explores the natural history and stories of the Thames from prehistoric times to today.
Dive into the exciting world of competitive rowing in the Rowing Gallery
Discover the internationally renowned modern British artist in our John Piper Gallery, and the depth of his local connections.
The Wind in the Willows experience lets you fully immerse yourself in Kenneth Grahame’s beloved story.
Keep an eye out for changing exhibitions in our Community and Kirkham Galleries too; more information on our What’s On page.
Families
There’s oodles to do with your family at the Museum! From riverside and gallery trails to activities and events, and not not forgetting our beloved Wind in the Willows experience.
Little Willows, our children’s play area, brings together all the elements of Marsh Meadows, Wind in the Willows and the River Thames. Aimed at children under 7, the area provides educational toys, books and colouring for little ones, along with a cosy corner for Mr Toad to meet his fans! With stunning views over the meadows and the river, this is a great place to spend time admiring the scenery while the little ones play. Rain or shine, we hope you will love Little Willows!
Find out more, including family FAQs:
Getting Here
Arrive at the Museum on foot, by bicycle or by public transport wherever possible. Find the Museum by the river in Mill Meadows:
River & Rowing Museum
Mill Meadows
Henley on Thames Oxfordshire
RG9 1BF
By Public Transport
By Train
By Boat
Better still – arrive by boat on the River Thames!
By Bus
On Foot
Follow the brown signs from the town centre, or just follow the river from Henley Bridge into Mill Meadows until you see our signs
By Car
Parking Charges and Times
Museum car park open daily (including Bank Holidays), 9am-5pm.
There is no access to the car park outside these hours.
Parking charges 2023:
- Up to 1 hour – FREE
- 1-2 hours – £3.50
- 2-3 hours – £4.50
- 3-4 hours – £5.50
- All day parking (9am-5pm) – £8.00
- Overnight charge – £5.00
The parking system uses number plate recognition so pay on departure at the exit barrier (ticketless, cashless system).
A large public car park is also available on Mill Meadows.
From Reading
Take the A4155 via Shiplake into Henley, turning right at the T-junction towards the station. Take the turn-off on the right after the station, closer to the river (satnavs may try to take you into the station itself)
From Oxford
Take the A4074 towards Wallingford then at Crowmarsh Gifford join the A4130 through Nettlebed and into Henley. At the end of the Fairmile, cross both mini roundabouts and take the one-way road down New St to follow the river. Stay in the right-hand lane to continue alongside the river on Thameside, then follow the brown signs (satnavs may try to take you further, to the train station.)
From London
Take the M40 towards High Wycombe and the A404 towards Maidenhead, then signs to Henley. Turn left immediately having crossed Henley Bridge then follow the brown signs (satnavs may try to take you to Henley Station)
Accessibility
We’re here to help. The Museum, its car park, entrances and galleries are fully accessible for wheelchair users. A wheelchair is also available for visitor use.
We welcome carers visiting with the person they care for, offering them free entry. Magnifiers are available on request. Assistance dogs are welcome, and water bowls are available on request from the Reception. An accessible toilet and baby changing facilities are available on the ground floor.
Access Facilities
Arrival
The Museum is located in Mill Meadows, Henley on Thames, just a few minutes level access from Henley on Thames Railway Station.
The Museum has its own 100 space car park with plentiful parking for visitors with mobility impairments. Parking charges apply (see above), but Blue Badge holders are exempt from parking charges at the Museum. Please simply show your Blue Badge at the Museum’s front desk.
The Museum is accessible for wheelchair users with ramps into the building from the car park at the rear or from the river-side. There is level access once inside the building to the Reception Desk, and a lift to the first floor.
Main Entrance, Reception and Ticketing Area
The Reception Desk provides your first contact with our staff, who will be able to assist you in your visit. Seats are available in the reception area and in the galleries. All of our galleries are fully accessible by wheelchair. The lift to the first floor is just by the reception desk.
In case of an evacuation
In the case of an evacuation the need to leave the building will be signalled by audio sounders, flashing lights, and a voice over system. Staff will specifically seek out any visitors who need assistance, and give them extra support in leaving the building.
Public WCs
Toilets, including accessible toilets, and baby changing facilities are on the ground floor. The first available toilets are to be found next to the Reception desk as you enter the Museum. There are additional toilets on the first floor behind the Discover! gallery.
Café & Shop
The Café is accessible directly from the entrance to the Museum on the Ground floor.
The Museum Shop is accessible directly from the entrance to the Museum on the Ground floor.
Assistance Dogs
Assistance dogs are welcome, and water bowls are available on request from the Reception Desk.
Contact Us
Never Miss The Boat
Have you seen…
Education
We love welcoming schools to explore the museum’s themes and enjoy the riverside location.
Learn about school visits
Explore
Dive into the art and stories of the river, revealed through the Museum's vast collection.
Explore our galleries
Café
Take a seat on the Museum's terrace overlooking the weeping willows of Mill Meadows.
Discover more