John Hansard Gallery is Southampton's serious contemporary art space, with exhibitions that draw on the University of Southampton's art and photography collections as well as new commissions. It is a good counterweight to the city's maritime museums and medieval walls.
The programme changes often, so the gallery is most rewarding if you check what is on before you go. Talks, workshops, and screenings are part of the rhythm, making it feel more like an active cultural venue than a static collection.