website, which existed before the building opened. Themes The Museum includes four themes explored through a wide variety of exhibitions and events across four galleries and special exhibitions: The past, present and future of the River Thames The historic riverside community of Henley on Thames The international sport of rowing The Wind in the Willows Galleries The Wind in the Willows Gallery The permanent Wind in the Willows exhibition includes Mr Toad, Ratty, Badger, and Mole to a location on the bank of the River Thames, whose creatures and landscapes provided the inspiration behind the original book. E.H. Shepard’s illustrations are included as 3-D models that depict the adventures of Mr Toad, Ratty, and their friends. The Museum has rights to use the original images by Shepard, who explored the meadows and willow-fringed river around nearby Pangbourne in search of settings for these illustrations. The exhibition follows the original storyline, using theatrical lighting and sound techniques to take visitors on a journey through the world of The Wind in the Willows. Interactive exhibits and specially developed audio guides help visitors feel a part of the story. Thames Gallery The Thames Gallery is the largest of the River & Rowing Museum's permanent galleries. It provides an interpretation of the River Thames from source to sea. The River Thames is 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 illustrate the historic and social importance of the river, while interactive displays enable visitors to learn more about river management and water supply. Aspects of the Thames in the exhibition include: Travel from the hidden source to the sea Thames paintings in the gallery and on terminals The wildlife and the bugs that make their home in and alongside the river Music, poetry and literature inspired by the Thames, from Conrad to The Kinks The craftsmanship of boat builders from log boats to skiffs and punts How the Thames has been managed throughout the ages