William Crawford

Finding William Crawford gallery in Durham requires a bit of detective work - it's not exactly signposted from the high street - but that's rather the point. This is a proper art space, the sort of place where locals actually go rather than somewhere that exists purely for the tourist trail.

The gallery shows contemporary work across painting, sculpture, and mixed media. It's intimate in scale, which means you're not shuffling through endless rooms, and the exhibitions rotate regularly enough that there's a reason to check back. The kind of spot where you might spend 45 minutes properly looking, rather than an hour rushing through.

It appeals most to anyone with a genuine interest in current art practice. If you're after a quick heritage tick-box, this won't be it. But if you're the sort who actually reads the wall text and has opinions about what you're looking at, you'll find it worthwhile.

Based just outside Durham city centre, it works well as part of a longer morning combining the cathedral and city walks. The nearby caravan parks - Durham Grange is closest at 2.6 miles, with Finchale Abbey just a couple of miles further - make decent bases if you're staying longer in the area. You could easily slot this in between exploring the river walks and grabbing lunch in town.

Before you go, ring ahead to check opening hours and current exhibitions. Last thing you want is turning up when it's closed.