Raynes Park Framers

The gallery sits in Raynes Park, a quiet corner of south west London that most people drive past without a second glance. It's a working artists' studio and exhibition space where local painters and sculptors actually have their hands on materials when you visit - no sterile white boxes here. You'll see pieces at various stages of completion, which gives the whole thing an honest, lived-in feel that proper galleries sometimes lack.

The work tends toward contemporary painting and sculpture, with rotating shows that change every few months. It's not vast - you can see everything in 45 minutes - but that's rather the point. There's room to breathe, and the staff know what they're talking about because they usually made it themselves. Real value if you're into smaller-scale contemporary work rather than household names.

Families won't find much here unless the kids are genuinely interested in art - it's not interactive or showy. But if you're a painter or sculptor yourself, or you actually enjoy looking at work without the pretension, it's worth the trip from Chessington. Combine it with a walk around Raynes Park Common if you've got time. Getting there's straightforward from central Raynes Park, though parking can be tight on weekends. Best to ring ahead and check what's on before you go - no point making the journey for a closed exhibition. The nearby Chessington World of Adventures Resort makes a reasonable base if you're doing a longer park-and-gallery sort of visit, though the attractions are quite different beasts.