MODO, Cambridge

MODO is Cambridge's contemporary art gallery, housed in a converted Victorian building right in the city centre. It's a working studio and exhibition space combined - so you're not just looking at finished pieces behind glass, you're occasionally catching artists mid-process, which changes the whole experience. The gallery rotates its shows regularly, so there's genuine reason to revisit if you're camping nearby.

The space itself is intimate rather than grand. You can walk through in 45 minutes comfortably, though if you're really into the work you might linger longer. It's free to enter, which is proper refreshing - no guilt about popping in for 20 minutes between other Cambridge activities. The crowd tends to be art students and locals rather than tour groups, so it feels genuine.

This works best for anyone with an actual interest in contemporary work - whether that's painting, sculpture, installation, or whatever the current exhibition is pushing. Kids who are dragged in reluctantly will get bored fast; kids who've already got an art habit will love it. It's not a rainy-day time-killer, put it that way.

If you're staying at Cherry Hinton or one of the other caravan sites just outside Cambridge, MODO makes a proper cultural counterweight to punting and college gardens. It's five minutes from the main shopping streets, so easy to slot in while you're already in town. Worth the visit for anyone who actually cares about what's on the walls, but don't expect spectacle.