The Big Blue

You'll find this sprawling public art installation tucked within Canary Wharf's vast estate - a proper urban gallery experience that doesn't charge a penny. The Big Blue is part of Canary Wharf's wider contemporary art programme, and it's genuinely worth factoring into an afternoon if you're working in the area or passing through.

What you get is large-scale visual work displayed across the development's public spaces and buildings. It's not a traditional gallery with walls and opening hours - you move through the site at your own pace, spotting pieces as you go. The quality varies, as it does with most public art, but there's real substance mixed in with the flashier commuter-friendly stuff. Bring your phone and look up occasionally rather than staring at your feet heading to the Tube.

Realistic expectation: this isn't a destination in itself. You'll spend forty minutes to an hour here if you're thorough, less if you're just browsing. It works perfectly as an add-on to a Docklands wander - the area's got decent restaurants and the Thames Path runs nearby, so you can string together a proper morning or afternoon.

For families, older kids will get something from it; younger ones might lose interest quickly. Art types and photographers will have a field day. If you're staying at Abbey Wood Experience Freedom Glamping just up the road, it's a manageable trip in and could break up a longer London visit nicely. Free admission makes it an easy call.