York Roman Bath Museum

You'll find this museum tucked away on St Sampson's Square in York's city centre, and it's easy to walk straight past if you're not looking. The main draw is the actual Roman bathhouse that sits beneath the medieval street level - properly preserved remains from around AD 80, which stops you in your tracks when you realise you're standing in a space Romans actually used nearly two thousand years ago.

The bath itself is the star. You get to see the hot room, the warm room, and the cold plunge pool, complete with the hypocaust heating system that kept things toasty. The museum wraps around this central feature with finds from the site - pottery, coins, bits of statuary. It's compact, which means you won't spend more than 45 minutes here unless you really linger over the interpretive panels.

Historically minded visitors and anyone with a serious interest in Roman Britain will find this worthwhile. Kids can engage with it, though younger children might find it a bit abstract - there's only so much excitement in looking at stone channels and reading about water temperature. The admission fee is modest, which helps sweeten the deal.

It pairs well with the other Roman bits scattered through York - the city walls, the railway museum. If you're based at Nurseries Caravan Park just outside town, it's an easy walk in. The museum closes at dusk in winter, so time your visit accordingly. Worth an hour of your York itinerary, no more.