The Thames Gallery
The Thames Gallery is the largest of the River & Rowing Museum’s permanent galleries. It provides a unique interpretation of the River Thames from source to sea.
Journey from Kemble to the Thames Barrier
The River Thames is a living, changing entity that has been, and remains, a key element of life in the Thames Valley 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.
Exhibits from local and private collections
Exhibits from local and private collections help to illustrate the historic and social importance of the river, whilst interactive displays enable visitors to learn more about river management and water supply.
- Travel from the hidden source to the mighty ocean
- Explore evocative Thames paintings in the gallery and on terminals
- Meet some of the wildlife and the bugs that make their home in and alongside the river
- Listen to music, poetry and literature inspired by the Thames, from Conrad to the Kinks
- Admire the craftsmanship of boat builders from log boats to skiffs and punts
- Discover how the Thames has been managed throughout the ages
- Understand the importance of weirs, locks and bridges and meet some of their custodians
- Hear enthralling stories told by members of riverside communities
