I don't quite know what to make of Art Original. Is it a gallery? Is it a glorified memorabilia…read moreshop? Who can say! This hard to navigate shop is packed to the brim with celebrity inspired works, signed sports photographs and posters of local hot spots. The staff say a friendly hello upon entering but did give me a suspicious look when I lingered too long. Not a comfortable or enjoyable shopping experience.

Bit of a weird one this. It sells memorabilia, oddly enough. So, currently, there's a hell of a lot…read moreof Michael Jackson (shamoan, mutha***ker!) pictures and artists interpretations in the window, as you might expect. Therefore, there's a lot of musical icons here, with some of the framed pictures, posters and prints apparently signed by said celebs. Next up, there's various sporting heroes from today (such as Man U or Arsenal team shots to bloody Nigel Mansell!) All in all, it's a bizarre shop that charges over the odds for things that might work as the ultimate present for some people, but seems cheap and tacky to me. Meh.

3D Gallery is a really wonderful shop located near Park Row and the Christmas Steps. It's…read moresandwiched in between a DIY shop and another gallery so it's definitely caught the right 'arty' crowd. This Gallery isn't massive, but the selection of artwork is really very good. I have never gone in and not found something I would love to take home had I had a couple of hundred quid spare. I also really like the jewellery section at the back, and have spent many a days admiring the intricate details on most of the pieces.

This is one of those galleries which make you want to earn lots of money so you can buy more art. I…read morenever fail to fall in love with at least one piece every time I go here (which is quite often!). On the last visit it was the abstract work of Russell Frampton - in fact the gallery is quite strong on abstract work but does also usually have some serious show-stopping work in the windows which are more accessible. Even if art isn't your bag, baby, then this has a little secret - it is home to some of Bristol's lovely jewellery makers. You can find unique handmade rings and necklaces at very reasonable prices. Now, and this is scary, you have to ring a bell to be let in. It isn't like they want you to press your platinum American Express to the window and you have to be dressed head to toe in Laura Ashley to be deemed safe. It's just because the owner likes to be pottering about most of the time rather than waiting for people to come to the shop. Don't be afraid!

A top class art gallery in the middle of nowhere - what's not to like?! Hauser & Wirth is a…read moreleading gallery for contemporary and modern art with well established outlets in Zurich, London, New York and LA. I love the fact that they took over an old farm in Somerset and turned it into an oasis of calm and beauty. The current exhibition by Pipilotti Rist (till Feb 2015) alone is worth the trip. One of her video and sound installations is presented in a big room where visitors are asked to take off their shoes and settle on one of the fluffy sheep skins dotted around the floor - the most comfortable exhibition I have ever visited! There's also a lovely shop with local artisan products and a restaurant/bar - enough to keep you busy for most of the day.

Free museum (donations welcome), very nice collection. In particular, I enjoyed the animal display…read moreof those found in and around the Bristol area and my spouse was excited to see the Banksy. We loved seeing the anti-racism display as well. There were several good options for children as well and we saw a school class enjoying the exhibits. We hadn't planned on this stop but popped in when we happened across it. The building is also beautiful! Worth stopping in!

Sometimes you just stumble into a city and find yourself in a museum that by the way is FREE!…read more They were doing a Wallace & Grommet search and that made exploring the museum really fun. The exhibits explored all different types of art and nature. I particularly liked the fossils and quartz collections.

This is Bristol's centre for contemporary art. As well as a gallery, they've got stuff do with…read moredance, film and music going on. Have a look through the listings to see if anything takes your fancy. There's some quite challenging stuff on, with some of the installations making absolutely no sense at all if you ask me. The gallery is free and definitely worth dropping in to if you're in the city centre looking for something to do. It changes frequently so I can't vouch for the quality of the art though there is a good video exhibition on right now. Similarly, their film showings are varied - they don't just show the latest releases - and you have to keep an eye out for something that interests you. The Arnolfini brings a little bit of culture to Bristol and seeing as it's free I'm definitely a fan.

The Arnolfini is a Bristol establishment that everyone I've met really cherishes. Mainly it is a…read morecontemporary art gallery, but also plays host to events, film screenings and dance and music performances. The entire gallery has three floors, and each is usually occupied with an exhibition. I've found that most times, there is one main exhibition that runs through the whole gallery, with maybe only one or two separate ones in smaller rooms. This place provides quite a hit and miss experience, of course depending on what you personally enjoy in art. I would say half the times that I've been here, I've enjoyed what the Arnolfini has to offer, and often leave quite inspired. However the other half of the time, I walk in and the whole space is taken up by children's activities, to try and engage them more in the exhibition that's on. This is great for the kids but creates quite a confusing atmosphere for the adults that walk in and expect to see more art, and instead see about 50 children in what looks like a giant activities room. The best thing to do before coming here is to check on their website for more information of the exhibitions, and you can come for the ones that tick your fancy, and avoid others that don't.

No not a place to get your cuticles done, Nails gallery is one of the best art gallery/shops in the…read morecity. They have a good mix of artists and a good range of varied work. If you give each visit to Nails enough time in-between you can guarantee to see a completely new range of work. The art here is for sale, but don't shy away from just coming to have a look at some of the brilliant new work being completed by local artists. The gallery is a very bright and vibrant space inside full of local art and it's much larger than it first appears. As you walk through the archway you can see another mix of contemporary and older art work. They deal in prints, mixed media, oil etc and sell a great deal of very current, beautiful art. Some of these galleries are perceived as being quite stuffy and as only selling water colours of local duck bonds. Nails are not one of these galleries. In fact my favourite piece today was a large oil painting of Barbie being dragged down a back alley. Say what you will about the subject matter by trust me when you saw it, it was truly art affirming.

This art gallery, located down a steep stair case in the Lower Exchange Hall in St Nicholas Market,…read moreis dedicated to promoting local art and local artists. The relatively small space plays hosts to many different styles, but they've all got one thing in common - they all use Bristol as their muse. Among the pieces they exhibit include photographs, prints, sculptures and ceramics. Nails gallery also pride themselves on delivering affordable art to Bristolians. Their prints and paintings start as low as £18 so they're bound to have something suitable for you, no matter what your budget is. For me, I love just having a nose around the gallery and seeing different artists take on the city. There's a few nooks and crannies in which to find hidden gems so take your time and really take in what the gallery has to offer.

Over 60 stunning installations set in an estate park plus an award-winning gallery and artist's…read morehouse housing a programme of exhibitions. Roche Court is open daily and is free although a donation to Salisbury Hospice (optional) is suggested. Groups and schools should call ahead and book. View works by the likes of Anthony Caro, Anthony Gormley, Gavin Turk, Eva Rothschild, Michael Hischer, Alison Crowley, Bill Woodrow and many more. All works are for sale and you are requested not to take photographs.

With the View art gallery just a short trip down the road it's great to see Hotwells is staking a…read moregreat claim to get all the artists in Bristol to pay attention to what Hotwells can offer them. The Lime Tree Gallery is opposite the riverside and pulls in many people going for a riverside walk. With art from local artists as well as national there is an impressive sellection of paintings and contemporary works from sculptures made from rubbish picked up on a bristol walk to a painting depicting what could be described as the waters influence on the city of Bristol. Worth a look, might be to pricy but doesn't mean you can't appreciate what is on offer.

Gallery positioned overlooking the harbour, almost opposite the Grain Barge. The owner is friendly…read moreand happy to talk about the work and let you look round. They select work from artists nationwide to a theme that changes about eight times a year (so every six weeks-ish). Work is a mix of traditional and more contemporary pieces and when I last went had some beautifully bleak oil landscapes. They have a sister gallery in Long Melford, Suffolk.

I'm going to admit that I wavered about going into this gallery - it is very elegant and grand in…read morean expensive part of town and wasn't sure I would be welcome to browse. However I got a nice 'good morning' as I came in and not disturbed as I walked round. They have a quick succession of exhibitions here so worth coming back regularly. They handle some pieces by Barabara Hepworth and Henry Moore so that should give you an idea of their expertise (and price!). At the time I went they had 'scapes by Paul Lewin which were astonishing.

With Cowbridge being the most affluent town in South Wales, and possibly the entire country, it…read morecomes as no surprise that they have a couple of galleries, despite being a small market town. This is the more conventional of the two in that it is curated by the owners and displays an ever-changing stream of work by local and internationally acclaimed artists. The other, Sue McDonagh Artist Studio & Gallery, as the name suggests, is a personal endeavour on the part of the artist-owner Sue McDonagh. I appreciate both galleries immensely., and feel tat they enrich the creative wealth of the town considerably. These galleries, coupled with the fact that there are a wealth of artisans working in the town also, means that the cultural heritage of the town is assured. The price tags accompanying the work regularly exhibited here can be hefty, but with a good selection of prints, which you can either self-frame, or draw on the services of the gallery, and their expertise in this field, there is an eminently affordable means of putting something fine on your walls.

It's such a shame that Kingfisher gallery is closed on a Sunday because it's exactly the kind of…read moreplace you'd stroll around on a lazy day out in Cowbridge. Still, it's a great little gallery that stocks paintings and sculptures by local and well established artists. If you don't have the budget of a collector, fear not because some prints are available to buy which make excellent gifts. The atmosphere is laid back and welcoming and the space itself has great light (which is sort of what you want in a gallery). There isn't a great deal of edgy/modern pieces (don't expect to see a dismembered doll or a Banksy) but if you like the gentle classics you'll love it here.