Paul Russell

You'll find Paul Russell tucked away in Melcombe Regis, a proper working gallery rather than some tourist trap. It's the kind of place where the artist actually knows what he's doing - contemporary work that speaks for itself without needing flowery labels. The space itself is intimate, the sort of gallery where you can spend twenty minutes or two hours depending on how much the pieces grab you.

The work tends toward abstract and experimental territory, which means it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're the type who gets a kick out of seeing what's actually happening in British contemporary art rather than rehashing the same old names, there's real substance here. Kids will get bored within minutes unless they're already gallery-trained, but for anyone with an actual interest in visual art it's worth an afternoon.

It's free to look around, which helps. The nearest town is Melcombe Regis itself, and you're barely five minutes from Weymouth proper if you want to combine it with a seaside day out. Most of the big holiday parks - Bowleaze Cove, Haven Weymouth Bay, Littlesea - sit within walking distance or a short drive, so you could easily slip this in between beach time and chip suppers. Go when you fancy it really, though ringing ahead first would be sensible to catch opening times. Not life-changing, but genuinely worth the stop if you're staying in the area.