The Yorkshire Museum sits inside the Museum Gardens, which are themselves worth a visit, the ruins of St Mary's Abbey dominate one corner, and the gardens are free and open all year. The museum holds Roman and Viking collections that reflect York's position as one of the most significant cities in both periods: Eboracum for the Romans, Jorvik for the Vikings.
The Middleham Jewel, a 15th-century gold pendant found in a Yorkshire field, is the museum's headline object and one of the finest pieces of medieval goldsmithing in Britain. Quiet on weekdays, manageable at weekends. Allow two hours.