Pallant House Gallery

The converted Georgian townhouses on North Street in Chichester hold one of the South Coast's most rewarding collections of modern and contemporary art. Pallant House isn't trying to be the National Gallery - it's far more personal than that, with a real focus on 20th-century British painting that feels genuinely curated rather than exhaustively comprehensive.

You'll spend a good couple of hours here, maybe three if you're properly into art. The permanent collection includes work by Blake, Sutherland, and Ceri Richards, alongside rotating exhibitions that actually make you think rather than just shuffle past. The building itself is the thing though - those high ceilings and creaky floorboards have character that white-cube galleries can't touch. There's a small café that does decent coffee, and the garden courtyard is exactly the sort of place you'll want to linger with a book.

It works best for actual art enthusiasts rather than reluctant tagalongs. Children might find an hour here enough. The admission fees are reasonable - check before you go, as they shift depending on what's on - and it's free to wander the ground floor.

If you're staying at Chichester Lakeside or any of the caravan parks dotted around Bognor Regis way, this is a proper reason to head into town for a morning. Pair it with a walk around Chichester's medieval walls or lunch at one of the restaurants on East Street. It's the sort of place that rewards actually paying attention rather than ticking off a list.