Derby QUAD

The QUAD sits bang in the heart of Derby's cultural quarter, a striking contemporary arts space that punches well above its weight for a city this size. It's part gallery, part cinema, part creative hub - the kind of place that actually makes you stop and think rather than shuffle through on autopilot.

You'll find four floors of exhibition space showing everything from photography to video installations, plus a proper independent cinema that programmes far more interesting films than your average multiplex. The ground floor cafe is decent for a coffee and the whole building has that refreshing feel of somewhere actually engaged with what's happening locally rather than serving up the usual tourist fare.

Historybuffs and art types will get the most from it, though the cinema appeals to anyone wanting something beyond the standard blockbuster fare. Allow two to three hours if you're doing both an exhibition and catching a film. Entry to galleries is free, though films cost the usual cinema prices.

It's well positioned if you're basing yourself at Hill Farm Camping & Caravan Park, just four miles out - close enough for an afternoon trip without feeling like a slog into town. Derby's not exactly flooded with standout cultural attractions, so the QUAD genuinely matters here. Worth an hour at minimum, and proper worth a full afternoon if current exhibitions grab you.