Kenley Arts

The converted barn tucked away between Taunton and the Quantock Hills houses what amounts to a proper working artist space. Kenley Arts gives you access to actual studios where people are making things - paintings, prints, sculpture, the lot. You're not just looking at finished pieces behind glass; you get that sense of work in progress, sawdust on the floor, half-squeezed paint tubes.

It's best suited to anyone who actually cares about contemporary art and craft rather than casual tourists looking for an afternoon's entertainment. If your kids enjoy watching people make things hands-on, they might find it engaging for a bit. But once they've seen a few studio spaces, there's not much to keep them occupied. Art enthusiasts will happily spend an hour or more chatting with makers about their work.

Admission details aren't publicly listed online - ring ahead to check opening hours before you drive over. The space is genuinely small, so don't expect to be there for half a day unless you're serious about the work.

If you're staying at Waterrow Touring Park just down the road, this makes a decent wet-weather detour or a morning slot before heading into the Quantocks for a walk. It's far less touristy than a formal gallery would be, which is either brilliant or pointless depending on whether you like talking to artists about their process. Worth the ten-minute drive from Taunton if you're into that sort of thing.