Mid Antrim Museum gives Ballymena a compact but useful local-history stop, with exhibitions on the town, the surrounding countryside, linen, industry, archaeology, and community life. It sits inside The Braid, so it is easy to combine with the arts centre or a look around the town centre.
The museum is not large, but it helps make sense of a place many travellers only pass through. It is strongest as context: a quick, grounded introduction to Mid Antrim before heading into the Glens or north toward the coast.