Wilson Cheltenham Art Gallery & Museum

This excellent gallery-museum focuses on local life through the ages. There’s an emphasis on applied arts and design, with some wonderful British ceramics and a fascinating display on the Arts and Crafts movement, including a painted pine table designed by William Morris in 1856. A section on Captain Scott’s doomed Antarctic trek highlights the important role of local lad Edward Wilson, for whom the museum is named.

Look for the bear-suit that Wilson wore in the early stages of the Discovery expedition, before furs were rejected as not fit for purpose (too hot and damp).