The Ruthven Gallery

The Ruthven Gallery sits quietly in Auchterarder, the sort of place you'd walk past without noticing unless someone tipped you off. Inside, it's a proper working studio and exhibition space - the kind where you might actually bump into the artist, which changes how you feel about what's on the walls.

It focuses on contemporary work, and the quality varies as these things do, but there's usually something worth stopping for. The space itself is intimate rather than grand, which means you're not exhausted after twenty minutes like you are in some galleries. Expect to spend an hour here comfortably, less if the current show doesn't grab you.

This appeals most to people who actually care about art rather than ticking boxes. If you're dragging reluctant teenagers around, they'll be bored in ten minutes. But if you're the type who likes talking to makers about their work, you'll find it worth the detour from Auchterarder town centre.

Coupled with the excellent caravan parks nearby - Alexander House is barely two miles away, and Greenhill Farm's glamping is outstanding if you want something less standard - you could make this part of a longer Perthshire loop. It's not a headline attraction, but that's rather the point. You're getting the gallery as locals know it, not as a tourist destination.