The Messenger

The Messenger is Plymouth's contemporary art gallery, and it's where things get properly interesting if you're tired of the usual tourist trail. Located in the city centre, this is a working gallery space that rotates exhibitions throughout the year - so what you'll see depends entirely on when you visit, which means it's worth checking ahead rather than pitching up hoping for something specific.

Inside you'll find emerging artists and established practitioners showing everything from painting and photography to installation work and video art. It's intimate rather than grand, the sort of place where you can actually spend time with individual pieces without feeling rushed. The space itself is well-designed, letting the work breathe without pretension.

This appeals to anyone with a genuine interest in contemporary visual culture - not the Instagram-tick kind of interest, but the actual sit-and-think variety. If your kids are teenagers and won't complain about 45 minutes without their phones, they might surprise you. Younger children will probably get restless after fifteen minutes, if I'm honest.

Practical note: I'd suggest allowing 45 minutes to an hour depending on what's on. Check their website before you go for opening hours and admission costs, as these vary with exhibitions. If you're staying at Dartmoor Domes just six miles away and looking for something beyond outdoor activities, this breaks up a park holiday nicely. Plymouth itself has enough going on that you can combine a gallery visit with lunch or a walk around the Hoe.