Best specialist museum

1 GRAMPIAN TRANSPORT MUSEUM, Alford, Aberdeenshire, 01975-562292, www.gtm.org.uk

Although Scotland has several fine transport museums, this is my favourite. Located in Alford, near Aberdeen, it is built around the restored old station building and houses a mixture of trains, trams, traction engines and various road vehicles. But it is the warmth and enthusiasm of the locals - who created it in 1983 and who staff it now - that really shine through.

2 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF COSTUME, New Abbey, 01387-850375, www.nms.ac.uk

Housed in Shambellie House, in New Abbey, near Dumfries, this is part of the National Museum of Scotland stable. It tells the story of fashion from 1850 to 1950 using room settings from various periods. It is currently hosting an exhibition on the history of tartan, running until the end of October.

3 SCOTTISH FISHERIES MUSEUM, Anstruther, Fife, 01333-310628, www.scotfishmuseum.org

Situated behind magnificent harbour front buildings in Anstruther, Fife, this is one of the best, yet least known, museums in Scotland. It has 27,000 sq ft of exhibition space and more than 66,000 exhibits (including 18 boats), 75 per cent of which are of at least national importance. But the real gem is the 75ft Zulu fishing boat housed in its own hall. Stunning.

4 SURGEONS HALL MUSEUM, Edinburgh, 0131-527 1649, www.rcsed.ac.uk

The museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is accessed via Hill Square. It is the largest medical museum in the country and it holds one of the world's finest collections of pathological specimens. It is also the oldest public museum in Scotland, having been open to the public since 1832.

5 BLACKHOUSE MUSEUM, Arnol, Lewis, 01851-710395, www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

Lying on the exposed north-west side of Lewis, this is perhaps the best museum of rural life in Scotland. The 1875 blackhouse is as authentic as it could be in this day and age, right down to the peat reek from the central fire - which burns all year round - and the soot-stained raindrops dripping through the thatched roof. The neighbouring whitehouse is the classic Highland croft house as we know it, kitted out as it would have been in the 1950s.