Sheffield Auction Gallery

The Sheffield Auction Gallery is worth a visit if you're serious about art and antiques, though don't expect a polished museum experience. It's an working auction house rather than a permanent collection, so what you see depends entirely on what's up for sale that week. On a good day you'll find Victorian furniture, contemporary paintings, jewellery, and the occasional oddity that makes you wonder why anyone owned it in the first place.

This place appeals most to collectors and people who get a genuine kick out of spotting a bargain. If you're camping nearby at Fox Hagg Farm or Wyming Brook Farm - both within five miles of Dronfield - it makes a decent rainy afternoon stop rather than a major draw. You're better off combining it with a proper walk around the Peak District instead of planning your whole trip around it.

The main thing to check before you go is what's actually being auctioned that day. Ring ahead and ask what's coming up, because turning up on spec and finding nothing that interests you would be a waste of the drive from most of the local campsites. Auctions themselves can be dry if you're not bidding, though watching other people get competitive over a Staffordshire dog is genuinely entertaining. Allow an hour, maybe two if you're browsing properly. Free to look around, but obviously you'll only pay if you bid on something.