The Magical 21C Folly

There's a curious wooden structure tucked away near Emsworth that stops you dead in your tracks. The Magical 21C Folly is exactly what its name suggests - a deliberately odd, deliberately wonderful piece of contemporary art that someone had the audacity to build and call a gallery. It's part installation, part provocation, entirely unmissable if you're in Hampshire.

What you're actually looking at is a folly in the traditional sense - a building constructed purely for aesthetic effect rather than practical purpose - but executed with 21st-century sensibilities. The interior space functions as a gallery, hosting rotating exhibitions that lean towards the unconventional. Think installations and experimental work rather than traditional paintings on walls. It's genuinely small, which means you'll spend maybe 30 to 45 minutes here rather than half a day, but that's rather the point.

This appeals most to anyone who gets a kick from contemporary art, particularly pieces that don't take themselves too seriously. Families with older kids who've developed an eye for the unusual will find it intriguing rather than bewildering. Keen photographers should definitely make the trip - the structure itself is endlessly photogenic from every angle.

If you're staying at The Old Dairy Farm Glamping just down the road, or basecamp at Mill Rythe Coastal Village, this makes a brilliant half-morning diversion. The Emsworth waterfront itself is pleasant for a walk afterwards. Just check opening hours and admission details before heading over - independent galleries can be temperamental about their schedules.