Colchester's shiny, curved, glass-and-copper arts centre is as striking inside as out: installations flow seamlessly into one another amid a wealth of space and light. Temporary art displays are cunningly juxtaposed with historical works; the one permanent exhibition is the magnificent Berryfield Mosaic – a Roman artefact found here in 1923, and now under glass in the centre of the gallery space.
firstsite
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
23.4 MILES
Somehow missed by plundering robbers and left undisturbed for 1300 years, the hull of an enormous Anglo-Saxon ship was discovered here in 1939, buried…
0.14 MILES
Built in 1076 on the foundations of the Roman Temple of Claudius, England’s largest surviving Norman keep is bigger than that of the Tower of London. Over…
25.79 MILES
Now a picturesque ruin in parkland behind the cathedral, Bury's once-mighty abbey still impresses despite the townspeople having made off with much of the…
25.82 MILES
The 45m-high tower of this cathedral was only completed in 2005 and is a vision in Lincolnshire limestone – its traditional Gothic-style construction…
12.79 MILES
Thomas Gainsborough's atmospheric birthplace is now home to the world's largest collection of his work. The 16th-century house and gardens feature a…
6.91 MILES
Set right beside Flatford Mill – a feature of several Constable paintings – thatched Bridge Cottage has an exhibition that provides a fine introduction to…
16.52 MILES
Gorgeous, turreted Kentwell Hall may date from the 1500s and be full of Tudor grandeur, but it's still used as a private home, lending it a wonderfully…
25.6 MILES
A rare treat – Britain's only working Regency playhouse features ornate gilding, sweeps of boxes and a trompe l'oeil ceiling, all revealed on self-led …
Nearby attractions
0.09 MILES
In this Georgian town house, toys, costumes, watches and clocks form reminders of the domestic life of the wealthy owners and their servants. Quirky…
0.14 MILES
Built in 1076 on the foundations of the Roman Temple of Claudius, England’s largest surviving Norman keep is bigger than that of the Tower of London. Over…
0.33 MILES
The best of the city's half-timbered houses and rickety roof lines are clustered together in this Tudor enclave just a short stroll north of High St. The…
6.91 MILES
Constable fans will recognise red-brick Flatford Mill immediately, as it appears in many of his canvases and still looks idyllic today. It was once owned…
6.91 MILES
Set right beside Flatford Mill – a feature of several Constable paintings – thatched Bridge Cottage has an exhibition that provides a fine introduction to…
12.79 MILES
Thomas Gainsborough's atmospheric birthplace is now home to the world's largest collection of his work. The 16th-century house and gardens feature a…
15.49 MILES
From outside, the romantic Elizabethan mansion of Melford Hall seems little changed since it entertained Queen Elizabeth I in 1578. Inside, there's a…
15.8 MILES
This late-Perpendicular structure seems to lift into the sky, with its beautifully proportioned windows, soaring flint tower and gargoyle waterspouts…
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