Cormorant

The Cormorant gallery sits just east of Peterborough and is worth a proper look if you're into contemporary art without the pretension. It's a working gallery space - not vast, but that's rather the point. You'll find everything from paintings and sculpture to photography and installation work, with a refreshing focus on supporting artists who actually live in the region rather than chasing whatever's trendy in London.

The space itself feels lived-in rather than sterile. Artists' studios are sometimes open to visitors, which means you can occasionally catch work being made rather than just admire the finished article. If you've got kids in tow, they won't be bored into submission - there's genuine variety on display and the scale means you're not trudging through endless rooms.

It's free to visit, which immediately puts it ahead of many galleries. Allow an hour if you're browsing casually, longer if something grabs you properly. Best bet is to check their website for what's on before you visit - exhibitions rotate - and aim for a weekday morning when it's quieter.

If you're based at Ferry Meadows just down the road, this makes an easy half-day trip without the drive to somewhere grander. Pair it with a walk along the Nene or a browse of Peterborough city centre and you've got a decent day sorted. The real strength here is the local artist ethos - this isn't a tourist tick-box, it's what the area's actually making.