The Glow Tree

The Glow Tree is an art installation and gallery space just outside Oxford that trades in luminous, immersive work - think installations designed to catch light and hold your attention in ways most galleries don't manage. It's the sort of place where you'll either spend twenty minutes lost in a single piece or potter about for an hour depending on what's on. The space itself tends to favour contemporary and installation art, which means it works best for adults and older teenagers who actually want to stand still and think about things. Younger kids might find it a bit slow unless there's something particularly interactive on.

Admission details aren't always straightforward to pin down, so it's worth ringing ahead or checking their site before you go - opening hours can be patchy too, especially outside summer. Allow yourself a good hour if the work is strong, half an hour if you're just curious. It pairs reasonably well with a stay at Cedar Hollow Oxford or The Oaks, both just over two miles away, since you could combine it with a proper wander through Oxford itself rather than making it the main event. The gallery works better as a supplement to a longer afternoon than as a destination in its own right. Come when there's a specific exhibition on that appeals to you rather than dropping by on the off-chance.