River & Rowing Museum Is FREE In February
- Go Free From 11 - 16 February With Invesco Perpetual -

24 January 2008: The River & Rowing Museum (www.rrm.co.uk) is FREE to everyone from 11 - 16 February, enabling visitors, of all ages, free access to the Invesco Perpetual Henley Gallery, Schwarzenbach International Rowing Gallery and Thames Gallery and the opportunity to take part in specially arranged guided tours and talks during the period. [listings below]. Free In February has been made possible thanks to the sponsorship of Invesco Perpetual.

Free In February will give visitors an unparalleled opportunity to get under the skin of the famous town of Henley-upon-Thames. Free access to the Invesco Perpetual Henley Gallery and a rich programme of special talks and tours are designed to help tell the story of the town built by the river. From industry to arts, Civil War to sports, Henley has had a fascinating history as illustrated by the featured talks commissioned especially for the Free In February week.

During the Free in February week, a guided tour of the Henley Gallery will take place every day at 1030hrs. Specialist talks take place at 1200hrs every day:

	11 February: Henley as a trading port from the middle ages to the 19th century - discover how Henley's river location made it ideal as an inland port for shipping timber, grain and firewood to the rapidly growing city of London. Speaker, Simon Townley.
	12 February: Henley's history through photographs. Speaker, George Bushell.
	13 February: Henley's growth and development with Roger Kendall.
	14 February: Henley from the Wargrave Road - the famous, 1698 painting by Dutch master Jan Siberechts with speaker Laura Wortley.
	15 February: Eva, Henley Royal Regatta's first steam powered umpire's launch, brought to life by Mike Dulieu.
	16 February: The works of John Piper - delve into the work of the well-known 20th century English painter who lived at Fawley Bottom very close to Henley-on-Thames.

Full details of these talks are at www.rrm.co.uk.

The River & Rowing Museum celebrates the international sport of rowing, the ecology of the River Thames and the history of Henley and attracts over 90,000 visitors a year. During Free in February, 11 - 16 February, visitors to the Museum will benefit from special tours and have free access to three permanent galleries, detailed below:

	Invesco Perpetual Henley Gallery - See the history of Henley as depicted in the famous Dutch masterpiece by Jan Siberechts, Henley from the Wargrave Road, painted in 1698. Then use the newly updated Dr Plot's History of Henley exhibit to travel back through time to find out when the famous town was established.
	Schwarzenbach International Rowing Gallery - Explore the world of international rowing from racing craft spanning 200 years to Great Britain's current gold medal winning Olympians. See the boat in which Sir Steve Redgrave won his fifth gold medal or try sitting 'In the Cox's Seat' to the experience the drama, noise and sights of racing in the Henley Royal Regatta.
	Thames Gallery - Investigate the environment of the River Thames from source to sea. Understand the water cycle and see how green you really are by calculating your own daily water consumption at the interactive Thames Water exhibit.
The following gallery exhibitions will also be open and free to access:
	Back to the River. Artist Martin Ireland returns to the Museum with a series of work that examine the athleticism of rowing and the beauty of the river. (Runs from 3 Feb - 14 April).
	Personal perspective of the River Thames Path. A series of paintings by Claire Wiltsher, that explore the seen and hidden worlds along the Thames Path, captured in textured layers of drama and light.
	Our Neighbours from the Past: Stone Age to Saxon Times. A fascinating insight into the way our ancestors lived, displaying some of the finest antiquities from the Thames Valley, including a working loom.

Paul Mainds, Trustee & Chief Executive, River & Rowing Museum, said: "For the first time ever we're not only able to offer free access to the three permanent galleries but also provide a wide range of speakers and topics all delving into Henley's fascinating history. As an independent charity we're dependent on paying visitors and immensely grateful to Invesco Perpetual for making Free in February possible. We're looking forward to welcoming as many visitors as possible during the week especially those who have not been able to visit the Museum before."

Free In February does not include free admission to The Wind In The Williows exhibition.

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Notes to Editors and Public Information
The River & Rowing Museum attracts over 90,000 visitors a year and celebrates three themes:

 The past, present and future of the River Thames;
 The historic riverside community of Henley on Thames;
 The international sport of rowing.

These themes are explored through a wide variety of exhibitions and events across four galleries and special exhibitions. One the Museum's major success has been The Wind in the Willows exhibition which recreates the timeless E H Shepard illustrations from Kenneth Grahame's famous novel.

Since opening in August 1998 the Museum has received numerous awards for its design and architecture, including the National Heritage/NPI Museum of the Year award. The River & Rowing Museum is part of the Thames Valley Museums Group (TVMG) Family Friendly initiative - a scheme which brings together 29 museums across Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, to promote their popular appeal to the whole family

	Address The River & Rowing Museum, Mills Meadows, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1BF. Tel. 01491 415600. Web: www.rrm.co.uk
	The museum, terrace café and shop is open every day from 10am - 5.30pm in summer and 10am - 5pm in the winter
	Paid for tickets are valid for re-entry to the museum for 12 months
	Admission for The Wind in the Willows including the Galleries: £7 for adults, £5 for children and £6 for senior citizens and concessions
	Admission for the Museum Galleries: £3.50 for adults, £2.50 for children and £3 for senior citizens and concessions
	Free parking for visitors

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