Catherine Stihler

Explorer Tom Motherwell's heritage centre has a tower that asks you to climb through time and then rewards you with a view over the town. That is a rather good trick for a museum about a place shaped by hard work, changing streets and people who kept building new lives. Start downstairs with the displays; go up and see the geography those stories belong to. The North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre sits on High Road, only a short walk from Motherwell station. Its Climb Thru Time exhibit traces the area's past as you ascend, while changing galleries and family activities give local history more than one voice. From the viewing tower you can look across Motherwell and the wider district, then put names and objects back into a real landscape. Children have an outdoor play area too, so the visit need not be conducted in museum whispers. The centre also holds local collections and a search room for those pursuing a family or place story. If you want research help, check what staff and material can be available before turning up with a long list of questions. A town's history is rarely tidy enough to fit in one display, but this is a friendly place to start pulling at a thread. Admission is free. The museum currently opens Monday to Saturday, with a half-hour lunch closure from 11.30 to noon, and closes Sunday. There is free parking behind the building, lifts to all floors and an accessible toilet. Check the day's details before you travel. The best finish is the tower view: Motherwell can tell its own story from up there.