Nottingham Contemporary opened in 2009 in a striking gold-and-green building by the architects Caruso St John, perched on a sandstone outcrop above the Lace Market. The lace pattern cast into the precast concrete facade is a nod to the trade that once filled the surrounding warehouses.
The gallery has four large exhibition spaces and runs an ambitious programme of four or five major shows a year — usually mid-career international artists with serious reputations rather than headline-grabbing crowdpleasers. It punches well above its weight for a regional gallery and remains free to enter. There's a good cafe and a small bookshop. Closed Mondays.