Walker Art Gallery

The Walker Art Gallery holds Britain's best collection of pre-20th century art outside London, completely free to visit. You'll find Rembrandt's self-portrait, Stubbs' magnificent horses, and an unmatched Pre-Raphaelite collection including works by Millais and Rossetti. The Victorian galleries showcase dramatic history paintings and genre scenes that most London museums keep in storage, while contemporary pieces by David Hockney and Lucian Freud round out the collection.

The galleries flow chronologically across two floors, starting with Renaissance works and building to the showstopping Victorian rooms. The Pre-Raphaelite gallery feels intimate despite housing world-class pieces, and you'll often have Stubbs' famous equestrian paintings almost to yourself. Natural light floods the main galleries during daytime visits, making the colors particularly vivid. The building itself is grand but not overwhelming, with wide corridors and comfortable viewing distances.

Most visitors rush through to tick boxes, but the real treasures reward slow looking. Skip the ground floor contemporary section unless you're particularly interested, it's the weakest part of the collection. The cafe is overpriced at £8 for basic sandwiches, so eat elsewhere. Weekday mornings are genuinely quiet, while weekend afternoons bring families and tour groups that can make the smaller galleries feel cramped.