Museums and galleries that make you feel good
Brighten up your next culture trip with a visit to one of these museums or art galleries.
It's official – spring has arrived. Green bulbs are pushing up out of the ground, the trees are in bud and the garden birds are starting to sound quite cheerful. That said, this season is known for its fair share of rain, and warmer days are still a little way ahead of us... So although things are starting to look up, it's always worth having some things to look forward to at this time of year.
The remedy? Make up for the colder, wetter days by filling your evenings and weekends with a good old culture trip. And did you know? There's even research to show that spending time with art is good for our wellbeing. With Mental Health Awareness Week (11-17 May) on the horizon, it’s time to head for inspiring exhibitions and interactive exhibits, or boost your mood by stumbling across extraordinary artworks dotted across the countryside.
Whether you're into immersive art experiences, interactive exhibitions or experiencing culture in the great outdoors, we've selected eight museums and art galleries across the UK that can give you that feel-good experience. Plus, you'll get great discounts at every venue with a National Art Pass.
Discover some of the best feel-good museums and galleries to visit with an Art Pass
Lightroom
Be dazzled by epic installations at London's Lightroom, where artists and creatives use revolutionary technologies to create innovative and immersive works of art in a vast space. Open now at the venue is David Bowie: You're Not Alone, which will transport you into the world of this visionary artist through iconic performances and rarely-seen interviews.
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
Towering over the River Tyne, the Baltic is a former flour mill converted into a centre for contemporary art across six floors. These comprise gallery spaces, a viewing platform, a restaurant, a library, a sensory playroom and a great gift shop, making it a very fun building to explore. There's also an incredible exhibition programme, showing leading contemporary artists from around the world. Don't miss their current exhibition For All At Last Return, a group show using contemporary art to explore the affect of humans on marine life.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Get outdoors and immerse yourself in art at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, set across 500 acres of 18th-century landscape. With over 100 sculptures by internationally acclaimed artists, including Barbara Hepworth, Damien Hirst and Ai Weiwei, plus six indoor gallery spaces, there is so much to discover, making this the perfect day out for anyone who loves art or nature.
National Football Museum
Go football crazy at Manchester's National Football Museum, where you can learn all about the history of the beautiful game, play interactive activities – including a penalty shootout and Match of the Day commentary challenge – or check out the museum's special exhibitions. Explore the connections between football and the human body in Head, Shoulders, Knees & Goals.
Queer Britain
Just around the corner from Lightroom, you'll find the inspiring and uplifting Queer Britain, the UK's first and only LGBTQ+ museum. Through exhibitions, events, talks and workshops, they celebrate the queer community and preserve people's stories in order to create a better future for everyone. Six new themed displays explore everything from the history of the Black Lesbian and Gay Centre to the painter Dora Carrington.
Towner Eastbourne
The vibrant façade of Towner Eastbourne can brighten up the skyline (or your mood) on the gloomiest of days and makes the gallery particularly inviting. Plus, it makes a great backdrop for selfies. The dynamic exhibition programme is one to check out, where you can discover diverse and exciting contemporary artists.
Charleston
Hop on the bus from Eastbourne to Charleston in Firle and discover a stunning 17th-century farmhouse converted into a home, studio and stomping ground for the influential Bloomsbury Group. Each room is covered in artworks and artefacts that reveal the rich lives and creativity of the people who lived and visited here. The current exhibition, Virginia Woolf and the Hogarth Press, looks at the work of the modernist writer as a printer, publisher and maker. You're guaranteed to leave feeling inspired.
Dovecot Studios
See artists at work in a leading tapestry studio while discovering innovative contemporary artists at Dovecot Studios in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. Housed in a renovated Victorian baths, Dovecot Studios offers an incredible exhibitions and events programme for anyone interested in making and creativity – with The Biba Story, which showcases the label that transformed 1960s fashion, a current highlight.