Afternoon talks

Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery is hosting a series of afternoon talks on Wednesday 4 November, and it's a good one if you've spent years walking past the city's landmarks without ever really stopping to look at them. The whole afternoon is built around Portsmouth's iconic sites and its hidden gems, and the thing that sets it apart is who's leading the conversation: local artists.

Having artists run the talks changes the perspective. Instead of a standard historical tour, you're getting these places through the eyes of people who work with the city's light, its lines, and its textures. They'll be talking about the landmarks we all recognise, but they'll be pairing them with the quieter, tucked-away spots that usually go unnoticed. It's as much about how to look at the city as it is about the places themselves.

Because it's a series of talks, you can pick and choose what interests you. If you're more into the big, well-known landmarks, there's plenty of that. If you're after the hidden gems, those get their own space. And since it's all happening in the afternoon, it's a relatively easy one to fit in without having to clear your whole day. The venue is Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery, right in the city centre, so it's a straightforward trip if you're already around town.

It's a local affair, run by people who live and work here, and it's all about seeing the city from a slightly different angle. If you've ever looked at a familiar building and wondered why it's there, or if you've always wanted to find the parts of Portsmouth that don't make it onto the postcards, this is exactly that. The talks run on Wednesday 4 November at Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery.