SPACE Ilford

The SPACE building in Ilford is a working artist studio and gallery rolled into one, housed in what used to be a Victorian warehouse. You can actually watch people making things - ceramics, paintings, installations - which beats staring at finished work behind velvet ropes. The space itself feels properly industrial, all exposed brick and high ceilings, the kind of place where you half expect to trip over someone's sculpture in progress.

It's best suited to art types and curious folk who like seeing the behind-the-scenes grit of creative work. Kids might get restless unless they're already interested in how things are made, though there's usually something visual enough to keep them occupied for an hour or so. The real draw is the unpredictability - what's on show changes depending on who's working that day and what projects are underway.

Ilford itself sits east of central London, easily reached by the District Line or local buses if you're based elsewhere in the capital. If you're staying at Abbey Wood Experience Freedom Glamping nearby, SPACE makes for a decent half-day venture that breaks up the usual park routine without requiring a trek across the city. Check ahead for opening times and whether admission is charged - galleries like this sometimes ask for a small contribution rather than a set fee.