IT may seem at first sight to be your archetypal seaside resort. Large Victorian hotels on the clifftops, amusement arcades on the seafront and donkeys on the beach. But Scarborough's origins go back more than a millennium to Viking times, and over the years it has seen everything from siege to naval bombardment.

I know all about the town's long and turbulent history after paying a recent visit with my family to Scarborough Millennium, an exhibition created in a former warehouse on the seafront.

While I wouldn't quite go as far as the centre's claim to be "the time travel experience of a lifetime" - I think York's Jorvik Viking Centre might have a better claim to that title - Millennium certainly does provide an informative and entertaining explanation of Scarborough's past that will appeal to both adults and children.

Assisted by sounds and smells, a series of scenes have been created to show what life was like at different times. There's a tableau, all wattle and daub, of a home in the 10th century after the Vikings had landed on the beach and built a fort called Skardaborg. There's a scene from the early days of the clifftop castle, built in 1136 to command the natural harbour, and another from the Civil War siege of 1645. And the exhibition reveals how Scarborough became the first place in Britain to come under direct attack since 1066 when, in December 1914, German cruisers out at sea began bombarding the defenceless town, killing 17 people.

But there are also displays featuring Scarborough's importance as a fishing town, and as a seaside resort - apparently the first town in Britain to be officially recognised as such in 1733. There are plenty of buttons to press for children, and amusing touches such as a chastising voice which rings out if you peep inside a changing hut at the model inside wrapped in a towel.

After our tour through the Millennium, we emerged, rather bizarrely, into an amusement arcade. But we headed for the golden sands of the beach, where our daughter was desperate for a traditional seaside treat - candyfloss, and then a ride on a donkey and on a little seafront roundabout, followed by chips and a drink as the late afternoon sunshine emerged. Scarborough is still going strong and has plenty to offer in the 21st century.

Fact file

Scarborough Millennium, Harbourside, Scarborough.

Open: 10am-9 pm.

Admission: £2.95 adults, £2.45 children

Further information: 01723 501000.