Chaetonotus

Getting to Chaetonotus is half the adventure - it's tucked away in Devon's countryside, roughly six miles from Exeter, and worth the small effort to find. This is a gallery space that rewards those willing to venture off the beaten track, though I'll be honest: opening hours and admission details aren't entirely straightforward, so ring ahead before you make the journey.

The gallery itself focuses on contemporary work, and what you'll find inside depends entirely on what's showing when you visit. It's the sort of place where serious art types will spend a good hour or more, wandering through whatever exhibition is on. Casual visitors might manage twenty minutes - it's intimate rather than sprawling.

Perfect for a rainy afternoon if you're based at somewhere like Cuckoo Down Farm Glamping, which sits just down the road. After browsing the gallery, you can drive back to the farm and settle in by the fire. It's not a destination that'll keep children entertained for hours - they'll get restless quickly unless they're genuinely interested in what's on the walls - but it works brilliantly as part of a wider cultural outing around Exeter.

The real value here is stumbling across something unexpected. Gallery spaces this size often punch well above their weight, featuring emerging talent or thought-provoking installations you'd normally only see in bigger cities. Check their website (if you can track down current details) to see what's on before committing the drive.