Most of York's Roman archaeology is hidden beneath the medieval city, so the superb displays in the Yorkshire Museum are invaluable if you want to get an idea of what Eboracum Roman York was like. There are maps and models, funerary monuments, mosaic floors and wall paintings, and a 4th-century bust of Emperor Constantine. Kids will enjoy the dinosaur exhibit, centred on giant ichthyosaur fossils from Yorkshire's Jurassic coast.
There are excellent galleries dedicated to Viking and medieval York as well, including priceless artefacts such as the beautifully decorated 9th-century York helmet.