Silver Jubilee

The Silver Jubilee gallery sits just outside Colchester, a straightforward contemporary art space that doesn't try to be something it's not. It's the kind of place locals know about and visitors stumble across while exploring the wider area around Essex's Roman town.

What you'll find inside depends entirely on what's on at the time - it rotates exhibitions rather than maintaining a permanent collection. That's either brilliant or frustrating depending on your perspective. If the current show grabs you, you've got a proper afternoon ahead. If it doesn't, you'll be out in twenty minutes and wondering why you bothered.

The gallery works best as part of a broader Colchester day trip rather than a standalone destination. Pair it with a walk around the town's medieval streets, the Roman walls, or time at nearby Rushbanks Farm Caravan & Camping Site if you're staying put for a few days. The Huts at Woodthorpes isn't far either, making it easy to base yourself locally and dip in and out of whatever catches your eye.

Families with teenagers who actually care about art will get something from it. Younger kids? Probably not. It's also decent for anyone into contemporary practice who happens to be in the area - no pressure, no grand expectations, just honest gallery work. Worth knowing about if you're camping nearby, less worth a special journey from far afield. Check ahead what's on before you go - that'll determine whether you make the detour.