Russell Cotes Art Gallery & Museum

The Russell Cotes sits bang in the middle of Christchurch, a Victorian mansion stuffed with art and oddities that the owners collected over decades of global wandering. You're walking around what was essentially a rich couple's personal gallery - paintings crammed onto every wall, sculptures cluttering the corners, bits of furniture and ceramics that caught their eye in Burma or the Mediterranean. It's wonderfully chaotic in that way only a proper collector's home can be.

The house itself deserves attention as much as the contents. The architecture is theatrical, all turrets and towers, and the interiors still feel lived-in despite the museum designation. You'll find contemporary works alongside Victorian paintings, Japanese prints next to English landscape oils. There's no pretentious curation here - just an eye for what interested them.

If you're the type who enjoys wandering through someone else's taste, you'll lose a good couple of hours. For younger kids it might feel a bit stuffy; older teenagers interested in art will find it genuinely engaging. The house itself - the stained glass, the period details - keeps things interesting even if a particular painting doesn't grab you.

It's positioned well for a holiday based at Meadowbank Holidays or Sandhills, both within easy driving distance. Perfect as an afternoon activity when the weather turns or you fancy something beyond the beach. Worth checking admission fees and hours before you head over, as museums can be fiddly about opening times.