Contraption

Just outside East Grinstead, Contraption is a gallery that takes kinetic art seriously. Walking in, you're confronted with moving sculptures, mechanical installations and all manner of ingenious contraptions that actually do things - no static displays pretending to be interactive. It's the sort of place where you'll stand watching a Rube Goldberg machine complete its cycle three times in a row just to work out how the hell it works.

The appeal depends entirely on your tolerance for watching things move. Families with curious kids aged seven and up will get a solid hour out of it. Mechanical enthusiasts and anyone who finds themselves hypnotised by perpetual motion machines should budget longer. Adults without an engineering bent might find themselves scrolling their phone after forty minutes, which is fair enough. It's not a destination in itself, but a proper rainy afternoon diversion.

Located between Hook Farm Campsite and Wild Boar Wood Campsite, both within easy striking distance, it slots neatly into a Sussex holiday if you're already in the area. The galleries in East Grinstead town centre are worth a nose around afterwards if you've still got daylight left. Admission details and opening hours would be worth checking ahead - gallery websites aren't always kept up to scratch - but don't expect to queue or pay significant money for entry. It's a characterful spot that rewards curiosity more than passive tourism.