diff --git a/matrix_sdk/src/client.rs b/matrix_sdk/src/client.rs
index 1796d697..0fb0f898 100644
--- a/matrix_sdk/src/client.rs
+++ b/matrix_sdk/src/client.rs
@@ -2255,13 +2255,12 @@ impl Client {
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
-    use crate::{ClientConfig, HttpError};
+    use crate::{ClientConfig, HttpError, RoomMember};
 
     use super::{
         get_public_rooms, get_public_rooms_filtered, register::RegistrationKind, Client, Session,
         SyncSettings, Url,
     };
-    use matrix_sdk_base::RoomMember;
     use matrix_sdk_common::{
         api::r0::{
             account::register::Request as RegistrationRequest,
diff --git a/matrix_sdk/src/lib.rs b/matrix_sdk/src/lib.rs
index 2f65a2d4..5e077caa 100644
--- a/matrix_sdk/src/lib.rs
+++ b/matrix_sdk/src/lib.rs
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ compile_error!("'sso_login' cannot be enabled on 'wasm32' arch");
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "docs", doc(cfg(encryption)))]
 pub use matrix_sdk_base::crypto::{EncryptionInfo, LocalTrust};
 pub use matrix_sdk_base::{
-    Error as BaseError, Room as BaseRoom, RoomInfo, RoomMember, RoomType, Session, StateChanges,
-    StoreError,
+    Error as BaseError, Room as BaseRoom, RoomInfo, RoomMember as BaseRoomMember, RoomType,
+    Session, StateChanges, StoreError,
 };
 
 pub use matrix_sdk_common::*;
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ mod event_handler;
 mod http_client;
 /// High-level room API
 pub mod room;
+/// High-level room API
+mod room_member;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "encryption")]
 mod device;
@@ -100,6 +102,7 @@ pub use device::Device;
 pub use error::{Error, HttpError, Result};
 pub use event_handler::{CustomEvent, EventHandler};
 pub use http_client::HttpSend;
+pub use room_member::RoomMember;
 #[cfg(feature = "encryption")]
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "docs", doc(cfg(encryption)))]
 pub use sas::Sas;
diff --git a/matrix_sdk/src/room/common.rs b/matrix_sdk/src/room/common.rs
index 857616eb..b7d0fab5 100644
--- a/matrix_sdk/src/room/common.rs
+++ b/matrix_sdk/src/room/common.rs
@@ -193,7 +193,13 @@ impl Common {
         if !self.are_members_synced() {
             self.request_members().await?;
         }
-        Ok(self.inner.active_members().await?)
+        Ok(self
+            .inner
+            .active_members()
+            .await?
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|member| RoomMember::new(self.client.clone(), member))
+            .collect())
     }
 
     /// Get all members for this room, includes invited, joined and left members.
@@ -201,6 +207,12 @@ impl Common {
         if !self.are_members_synced() {
             self.request_members().await?;
         }
-        Ok(self.inner.members().await?)
+        Ok(self
+            .inner
+            .members()
+            .await?
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|member| RoomMember::new(self.client.clone(), member))
+            .collect())
     }
 }
diff --git a/matrix_sdk/src/room_member.rs b/matrix_sdk/src/room_member.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..202c3b48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/matrix_sdk/src/room_member.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+use matrix_sdk_common::api::r0::media::{get_content, get_content_thumbnail};
+
+use std::ops::Deref;
+
+use crate::{BaseRoomMember, Client, Result};
+
+/// The high-level `RoomMember` representation
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct RoomMember {
+    inner: BaseRoomMember,
+    pub(crate) client: Client,
+}
+
+impl Deref for RoomMember {
+    type Target = BaseRoomMember;
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        &self.inner
+    }
+}
+
+impl RoomMember {
+    pub(crate) fn new(client: Client, member: BaseRoomMember) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            inner: member,
+            client,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Gets the avatar of this member, if set.
+    ///
+    /// Returns the avatar. No guarantee on the size of the image is given.
+    /// If no size is given the full-sized avatar will be returned.
+    ///
+    /// # Arguments
+    ///
+    /// * `width` - The desired width of the avatar.
+    ///
+    /// * `height` - The desired height of the avatar.
+    ///
+    /// # Example
+    /// ```no_run
+    /// # use futures::executor::block_on;
+    /// # use matrix_sdk::Client;
+    /// # use matrix_sdk::identifiers::room_id;
+    /// # use matrix_sdk::RoomMember;
+    /// # use url::Url;
+    /// # let homeserver = Url::parse("http://example.com").unwrap();
+    /// # block_on(async {
+    /// # let user = "example";
+    /// let client = Client::new(homeserver).unwrap();
+    /// client.login(user, "password", None, None).await.unwrap();
+    /// let room_id = room_id!("!roomid:example.com");
+    /// let room = client
+    ///     .get_joined_room(&room_id)
+    ///     .unwrap();
+    /// let members = room.members().await.unwrap();
+    /// let member = members.first().unwrap();
+    /// if let Some(avatar) = member.avatar(Some(96), Some(96)).await.unwrap() {
+    ///     std::fs::write("avatar.png", avatar);
+    /// }
+    /// # })
+    /// ```
+    pub async fn avatar(&self, width: Option<u32>, height: Option<u32>) -> Result<Option<Vec<u8>>> {
+        // TODO: try to offer the avatar from cache, requires avatar cache
+        if let Some((server_name, media_id)) =
+            self.avatar_url().and_then(|url| crate::parse_mxc(&url))
+        {
+            if let (Some(width), Some(height)) = (width, height) {
+                let request = get_content_thumbnail::Request::new(
+                    &media_id,
+                    &server_name,
+                    width.into(),
+                    height.into(),
+                );
+                let response = self.client.send(request, None).await?;
+                Ok(Some(response.file))
+            } else {
+                let request = get_content::Request::new(&media_id, &server_name);
+                let response = self.client.send(request, None).await?;
+                Ok(Some(response.file))
+            }
+        } else {
+            Ok(None)
+        }
+    }
+}