Coincidentally, Desmond Morris and someone else, whose name I didn’t catch, were talking just now on the radio about the ‘meaning of art’. The other fella made the interesting point that one of the most pleasurable experiences when visiting a museum, art gallery, stately home etc is the gift shop. He then went on to ask why, and theorised that it was our need to capture the experience of the visit by buying a postcard or book or something – much in the same way that we need to capture people or places with our cameras or pick up stones and shells on the seashore.

The National Trust gift shop at Sutton Hoo is very good by the way, and the restaurant is situated next to it (and the museum) with both indoor and outdoor tables and chairs. A bit further away there are picnic tables for those who have brought their own food and drink.