Quarr Gallery

The Quarr Gallery sits just outside Swanage, in what feels like proper countryside despite being minutes from the seafront. It's a working studio and exhibition space rather than a grand museum - the kind of place where you might actually bump into the artist, or at least see evidence they've been there recently.

What you get is contemporary art and craft, often with a local slant. Paintings, sculpture, ceramics - the sort of work that galleries in London would charge £15 to look at, except here there's no pretence and frankly more character. The space itself is intimate; you'll spend between 30 minutes and an hour here depending on how much you want to linger.

If you're staying at Swanage Bay View or Ulwell Holiday Parks - both within walking distance - this makes a decent rainy-day detour or a quick culture break between beach sessions. It's not the sort of place to build your holiday around, but it's genuinely worth an afternoon visit if you're in Swanage anyway and fancy something quieter than the pier.

The main draw is that it feels alive rather than curated. Real artists working, real exhibitions changing. Families with teenagers who aren't allergic to looking at art will probably get more from it than families with very small children, though there's nothing here that would upset anyone.

Best to ring ahead and check hours - these smaller galleries sometimes shift things around seasonally - but assuming you can get in, it's free or costs very little indeed.