Art House Gallery

The Art House Gallery sits right in St Ives, which tells you everything you need to know about its appeal - this is serious art country, and this place delivers without the stuffiness you sometimes get in galleries. It's free to wander in, which already sets it apart. What you find inside depends on what's on at the time, but expect a rotating cast of contemporary work, local artists, and installations that actually make you stop and think rather than shuffle past politely.

The space itself is intimate rather than grand, which works in its favour. You're not exhausted after twenty minutes, and you're close enough to the work to catch details. It's ideal for anyone wanting to tap into St Ives' artistic heritage without committing hours to the Tate or Barbara Hepworth Museum. Parents with teenagers into art will find it worth a detour; younger children might lose interest quickly unless something particularly visual is on.

Given it's free and relatively compact, budget forty minutes to an hour. Go mid-week if possible - weekends in St Ives can turn the streets into a rugby scrum. If you're staying at Polmanter Touring Park just down the road, it's practically on your doorstep. Even from Haven Riviere Sands or St Ives Holiday Village, it's an easy walk into town. Pair it with a browse around the galleries clustered nearby or a proper lunch overlooking the harbour. Don't expect it to be a major event - just a proper, unpretentious look at what's happening in contemporary art locally.