SM ART GALLERY

The SM Art Gallery in Sevenoaks is a proper find if you're after contemporary work without the stuffiness of the big London institutions. The space itself is compact - you won't spend hours here, but that's rather the point. It's the kind of place where you might stumble across something that genuinely stops you in your tracks, whether that's a painting, sculpture or installation.

It works best for anyone with more than a passing interest in art. Families with very young children will likely lose patience fairly quickly, but teenagers who actually engage with galleries tend to enjoy it. If you're the sort who reads the wall text and wants to understand the artist's intent, you'll get more from a visit here than rushing through.

Sevenoaks itself is a pleasant market town, and the gallery sits comfortably within a day trip that might include a wander round the town centre or a walk through the surrounding countryside. If you're staying at Thriftwood Country Park or Gatehouse Wood Country Park - both solid four-mile-plus drives away - it's a reasonable rainy-day option or a couple of hours' break from the campsite routine.

Admission details and opening hours aren't entirely clear, so ring ahead before you make the trip. That said, Sevenoaks has enough going on that even if the gallery's closed, you won't have wasted the journey. The town centre, the High Street, and the leafy walks around the town keep most visitors more than occupied.