The Bowie Gallery

The Bowie Gallery sits in Totnes, a town that already punches well above its weight for independent culture. This is a proper shrine to David Bowie - the man himself never lived here, but the collection suggests someone was deeply, obsessively devoted to documenting his life across six decades of constant reinvention.

You'll find vinyl, photographs, memorabilia, and enough documentation of costume changes to make your head spin. It's not vast - you can work through it in an hour or so - but what matters is the curation. There's real thought in how the pieces connect: Ziggy Stardust era flowing into Berlin, Young Americans bleeding into Thin White Duke. Casual fans might spend forty minutes and leave satisfied. True believers will stand in front of single items for ages, spotting details in band photographs or reading the context cards properly.

Families with teenagers who've discovered Bowie through the films will get something out of it. Young children will be bored rigid. It's not a hands-on experience - you're looking at things behind glass, reading, thinking. That's the appeal.

Totnes itself warrants a proper visit beyond the gallery - the high street has bookshops and decent cafes, and you're well-positioned for the holiday parks nearby. Ashbourne Woods, Brownscombe, and The Smithy all sit within five miles, so you can base yourself in one and spend an afternoon here without it feeling forced.