Museum Events

As well as the permanent exhibition galleries, the museums and galleries along the River Thames offer temporary one-off exhibitions, curator-led tours, special events and family fun activities.

River & Rowing Museum, Henley

• The Henley Story Curator Tour - Discover the rich history of Henley on Thames, made famous by the Henley Royal Regatta, on a new and informative guided tour showcasing some unique and historic items from the collection. 15 October 2020 

• John Piper Gallery Curator Tour - Exploring the rich career of this local artist. 9,16,23 October 2020

• Have a go at the River & Rowing Museum – Half Term Family Fun - a magical calendar of family activities Fun Day and spooky fun, including children’s workshops: Night Animals (26 Oct), Ready, Steady SQUIRREL (30 Oct), Workshop Mythical Monsters (30 Oct)

• COMING SOON - Elmer & Friends: The Colourful World of David McKee Exhibition. Opening Autumn 2020. This exciting new exhibition invites you to journey into the world of  author and illustrator David McKee. Elmer is one of the most widely-read books of all time – loved by big and small people. As if by magic, you can explore Elmer’s jungle and enter Mr Benn’s costume shop. Or simply immerse yourself in the visual feast of original illustrations (along with artwork from other books by David McKee including Not Now Bernard, Mr Benn and King Rollo).

Stanley Spencer Gallery, Cookham

• Love, Art, Loss: The Wives of Stanley Spencer exhibition (until Summer 2021) - Spencer’s work was dominated by his relationships with his two wives, Hilda Carline and Patricia Preece.  Their joint lives form a compelling art historical and human story.  Add to this Spencer’s passion for his home village of Cookham and his spiritual and physical need for all three inspirations of his art and this exhibition is an unmissable event.

Reading Museum, Reading

• Animal - World Art Journeys, Sir John Madejski Art Gallery Reading Museum (14 Sep to 20 Dec 2020) - See how artists have transformed the animal world into stunning stylised forms such as Peruvian weavings and Javanese batiks. Enjoy the work of artists from as far afield as Ancient Egypt or nineteenth century Asia to contemporary Britain. Find images of animals including lobsters and lions, donkeys with dragons, birds beside beasties.

• The Enigma of Arrival - The Politics and Poetics of Caribbean Migration to Britain is a new virtual exhibition hosted by Reading Museum (until end Oct 2020). This digital version of a travelling exhibition takes its theme and title from V.S. Naipaul's 1987 novel, The Enigma of Arrival, a commentary of a key moment in Caribbean Migration to the UK and the memory of its impact and aftermath. It charts the story of West Indian migrants to the United Kingdom, how they arrived and settled, the problems they encountered and the solutions they sought.  It ends with the build up to the detainments and deportations of some of these migrants, seventy or so years later.