Maggie Law Maritime Museum

The smell of salt and old wood hits you first when you walk into this modest maritime museum tucked away in Stonehaven. It's small - you could cover it in forty minutes if you're rushing, but there's enough here to hold your attention for a solid hour if ships and seafaring actually interest you.

The museum focuses on the fishing heritage that made this stretch of coast matter. You'll find model boats, tackle from the herring days, and photographs of vessels that once filled Aberdeen harbour. There's a working captain's cabin you can poke around in, which children find genuinely absorbing - it's tactile and real rather than just glass cases and labels.

This is absolutely the sort of place that appeals to maritime history buffs and anyone with family connections to fishing. If boats bore you to tears, don't force it. The setting in Stonehaven itself is what saves it - the harbour walk and clifftop views are worth the trip even if the museum doesn't grab you.

Opening times are restricted: weekdays Wednesday to Monday from April through September, then weekends only through winter. Admission details aren't published online, so ring ahead. If you're basing yourself at St Cyrus Holiday Park or Cloak Caravan Park nearby, it makes for a decent rainy afternoon activity without being essential viewing. Pair it with a proper walk along the coastal path and a fish supper in town for a proper Aberdeenshire day out.