Shortlisted for the UK’s most prestigious museum prize this year, Compton Verney is the glorious result of years of restoration work (and counting!) to restore it to its original beauty as Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown designed it in 1768.

The park lies in the district of Stratford-upon-Avon and is a real hub of events and activities for the community. There’s always something going on here. Previous events have included installations by art royalty Foka Wolf, a commission of rowing boats on the lake by Luke Jerram and currently you can find huge art installations dotted around the grounds.

It was just one of five UK museums in the running for Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025, recognised for outstanding creativity, impact, and ambition, and narrowly missed out to Beamish, The Living Museum of the North.

Compton was shortlisted for its bold Sculpture in the Park takeover featuring iconic artists like Sarah Lucas, Louise Bourgeois, Helen Chadwick and more, a  commission by Brazilian artist Erika Verzutti, the UK’s biggest ever exhibition of work by  Chila Kumari Singh Burman, deep community connections – from their monthly dementia café to early years play projects and exhibitions led by students and welcoming more than  117,000 visitors – a 30% jump from before the pandemic.

You can easily spend an entire day exploring the parkland and there’s loads for little ones and big ones to do – from finding their way out of the labyrinth, exploring the allotment, bird spotting from the hide, building sand castles in the sand pits, seeing the bees in their hives, pond dipping, clambering around the woodland playground and peeking inside the restored ice house. Well-behaved dogs are allowed too (but must be kept on the lead) so there’s no reason for the whole family not to get stuck in.

During the week there’s events for kids like forest clubs, tiny Tuesdays and wild Wednesdays and during the school hols, there’s even more to keep them busy. For adults the art gallery is really the piece du resistance. It has six permanent collections – Naples, Northern European Art 1450-1650, British Portraits, Chinese, British Folk Art and The Marx-Lambert Collection – and up to seven temporary exhibitions each year, including Portrait Artist of the Year.

While it is one of the most scenic places for a picnic there’s a great restaurant onsite with nearly all produce from within a 20-mile radius. There’s also the Pod in the Park where you can buy excellent sandwiches and pastries to take away and enjoy alfresco.

If you’re looking for the wedding or events venue of dreams it ticks all the boxes too. There’s the stunning Adam Hall and gorgeous galleries to choose from, and those swoon-worthy outdoor spaces for awesome pictures.