Garden Sculpture (Model for 'Meridian')

There's a bronze sculpture sitting in an Oxfordshire gallery that stops you dead. It's the model for Richard Serra's 'Meridian' - a full-scale public artwork that actually exists, which is rare enough to mention. Seeing the maquette first gives you proper context for what Serra was after: that sense of the body moving through space, of perspective shifting as you walk round it.

This isn't a sprawling collection. You're looking at one piece, essentially, but it's the kind of work that rewards standing still for five minutes. The bronze catches light differently depending on where you're standing. Scale matters hugely with Serra, and this model lets you see his thinking before the full-size version.

Historians and sculptural types will get the most from it. Kids under twelve might find it a bit static, though teenagers interested in art or architecture could surprise you. It's the sort of thing you visit because you're already in Oxford - not a reason to travel from London on its own.

Common Leys Farm is close by if you're basing yourself in the area for a few days. You could easily combine this with a morning in Oxford's university colleges and a walk along the Cherwell. Allow thirty minutes maximum, longer if you're genuinely into contemporary sculpture. Check opening hours before heading over - details are thin on the ground for this one.