Inchcolm Museum

You'll need to take a boat to reach Inchcolm Museum - it's housed in the ruins of Inchcolm Abbey on a small island in the Firth of Forth, a few miles off the coast near Dunfermline. The museum itself is modest, focusing on the abbey's medieval history and what life was like for the monks who lived here. The real draw is the abbey itself, not the museum collection. Walking around the ruins - particularly the 14th-century chapter house and the round tower - gives you a proper sense of the place's age and isolation.

Historically minded visitors will get the most from it. Kids might enjoy the boat journey over and clambering about the ruins, though they'll likely lose interest in the indoor displays after fifteen minutes. It's free to enter the museum, which is good, because you're really paying for the ferry crossing from South Queensferry (arrange this beforehand - it's not a regular service). Budget two to three hours total, depending on boat times.

If you're basing yourself at one of the nearby parks - Green Oak Nature Retreat, Pettycur Bay, or Sandhills Caravan Park are all within five miles - Inchcolm makes a decent half-day outing. It's the sort of thing that appeals more to walkers and history buffs than a family wanting a quick seaside visit. The island itself is windswept and dramatic, especially on greyer days. Combine it with Dunfermline's abbey on the mainland and you've got a proper history-focused day sorted.