Gallery at Picture Perfect

The Gallery at Picture Perfect sits just outside Northampton and is a proper art space that takes itself seriously without the stuffiness you'd expect. It's a working gallery rather than a museum - the kind of place where contemporary art actually matters and the exhibitions change regularly enough to warrant a return visit.

What you'll find depends entirely on what's on during your visit. That's both its strength and its weakness, really. Some shows are genuinely compelling, others feel a bit thin on the ground. You're looking at maybe an hour or two here, depending on how deep you want to go into whatever exhibition is hanging. There's usually something worth seeing, but it's not the sort of destination you plan a day around.

This works well as a half-day addition to a caravan park break in the Northampton area - Billing Aquadrome is only four and a half miles away, making it easily accessible from any of the nearby sites like Blisworth Park or Riverview Park. Pop in on a wet afternoon when the weather isn't cooperating for outdoor activities, then head back to the parks for evening entertainment.

Worth checking their website or ringing ahead before you visit - opening hours aren't always straightforward for independent galleries, and admission details can vary. It's the sort of place that rewards local knowledge. Art enthusiasts will absolutely get more from it than families with restless children, though that depends entirely on what's on display.