A popular museum in Oxfordshire is set to close due to “financial pressures”.
The River & Rowing Museum in Henley will cease operations after a decision was announced by the museum’s board of trustees on Thursday.
Steve O’Connor, who has been in the museum’s director since July 2023, will also depart as per the announcement.
In the statement, the board said: “Ever since opening its doors in 1998, the museum has attempted to balance its revenue generating capability with the expenditure necessary to maintain a substantial landmark building and a collection of 30,000 objects spread across five galleries and storage facilities.
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“Recently, good progress has been made on increasing visitor numbers and a stable income stream has been established from leasing office spaces to local businesses.
“However, the stark reality is that even these improvements don’t match expenditure and despite recent investment in the building and the commercial model, sustainability remains out of reach.”
“Sustainability remains reliant on a level of visitors and commercial income well in excess of anything managed since opening; a challenge made much harder by the impending departure of museum director, Steve O’Connor.
“Therefore, the responsible course of action for the foundation is to now cease the current operation in a considered and managed way, which preserves the public benefits in the assets we hold – namely our building, collection and charitable funds.
“Accordingly, the trustees have made the difficult decision to explore new options, whilst the foundation still has the financial capability to make considered choices.”
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Staff and tenants have been informed of the decision with sustainable ways forward sought out by Henley Town Council, the local community and key stakeholders.
The board added: “We remain of the belief that there is an important story to be told about Henley, the river and its environment and the connection to our health and wellbeing, including through rowing.
“Our immediate and overwhelming priority is to support our staff and establish an ethical approach to securing a future for the collections and building for which we are responsible. We understand that this will take both time and collaboration.”
David Worthington, chair of trustees, added: “This is a very sad day. A remarkable project was dreamt up in the mid-nineties and launched to international and national acclaim.
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“However, it was always too costly for its location and subject matter and despite the efforts of the museum’s trustees and workforce from 1998 to the present day, finding a sustainable solution has proved elusive.
“The unavoidable reality is that the building is simply too large and the galleries too ambitious in scale.
“To secure the future of the foundation we will consider all options, from all quarters, and given that we have taken this step now, not when it’s too late, we have the potential to see our valuable assets re-emerge on a scale that is affordable and sustainable.
“Change is now inevitable and along with Henley Town Council, the foundation will use this opportunity to bring fresh thinking to the future of the building and its collection, ensuring that the important work it has done for the past 27 years continues.”
