Ocean Gallery

The Ocean Gallery sits right in St Ives, that cliffside town where artists have been washing up for decades. It's a modest space dedicated to sea-themed work - paintings, sculptures, photographs, whatever the curators have decided speaks to the coast. You're not walking into the Tate here; it's more intimate than that.

Who gets the most from it? Serious art types, definitely. People who like to understand what they're looking at rather than just snap a photo. Families with older kids will find it worthwhile if they've got patience for galleries - younger ones might fidget after twenty minutes. If you're already in St Ives for the beaches and the ice cream, it's a solid rainy-day option or a way to spend an hour when the tide's wrong for swimming.

On a holiday at Polmanter Touring Park or Haven Riviere Sands (both within walking distance or a short drive), you could easily slot this into a day that includes the beach and lunch at the harbour. St Ives itself is the proper draw - the gallery's more of a complement than a destination in itself.

Bring a jumper even in summer; these clifftop buildings can be draughty. The walk from the car parks into town is steep going back up, so factor that in if anyone in your group's not keen on hills. Worth an hour if art matters to you; skip it otherwise.