Waterside Gallery

The Waterside Gallery sits right on Truro's waterfront, and it's one of those places that catches you off guard. You'll walk in expecting the usual tourist fare and instead find contemporary work that actually makes you stop and look properly. The river views from the gallery space itself are reason enough to visit on a grey afternoon - light bounces off the water and transforms whatever's on the walls.

This is a working gallery, not a museum. Local and regional artists rotate their pieces regularly, so what you see depends entirely on when you visit. Some shows are brilliant, others less so - that's the nature of the thing. It's small enough that you won't spend more than forty minutes here unless something really grabs you, which suits people touring through Truro rather than making it their entire day.

Families with teenagers who aren't completely art-averse will find it worth a quick stop. Younger kids will probably be bored senseless. Walkers doing the Truro riverside path naturally end up here anyway.

If you're based at Trethem Mill Touring Park, just two miles out, it's a straightforward run into town. Pop the gallery in between lunch and a walk along the water. It costs nothing to walk in, though buying work obviously costs money. Ring ahead if you're making a special journey - hours can shift seasonally.