A sad story for our times
IN 1997, COUNTRY LIFE greeted the River and Rowing Museum at Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire as ‘one of the most imaginative museums opened in Britain in recent years’. Built on Mill Meadows, beside the river, it is dedicated to three interlocking themes, the Thames, rowing and the history of Henley. Now, it faces a troubled future: although it remains open, it announced last month that it is to ‘cease its current operation’ and that it may even have to consider closure. The immediate priority, according to its board of trustees, is to ‘secure a meaningful and sustainable future for the museum’s collection, building and legacy’. Although half its financial reserves remain, it cannot sustain its current losses, despite its success in attracting some 114,000 visits…
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Country Life (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 12, 2025