Wednesday April 21st it happened - we can once again do what we’re most passionate about – welcome guests inside the Ship Hall to the magnificent sight of Denmark’s five world-famous Viking ships and once again have the chance to tell all about people in the past, their ships and the impressive craftwork that lay behind the Vikings’ incredible achievements at sea.
New activities in the run up to the summer holidays
While the Museum has been closed to visitors, we’ve been working hard getting ready to welcome inquisitive children and adults, with new activities on offer both outdoors and indoors. The activities and completely new visitor experiences will be kicked off at intervals up to the summer holidays, so that we can once again ensure that a visit to the Viking Ship Museum will be a great experience for the whole family.
» Keep an eye on the calendar, where we’ll provide regular updates on current activities.
Corona-passport and facemasks
All guests over the age of 15 must bring a valid Corona-passport or a negative Corona test (less than 72 hours old) in order to get access to the Museum’s exhibition areas. Remember facemasks, too. It’s safe to visit the Museum: we follow the authorities’ guidelines for the number of guests in all of the Museum’s exhibition spaces. We also have lots of hand-sanitiser and have made sure that there is enough room to keep a safe distance to other guests.
Special exhibition opening April 29th
The Museum’s guests can venture to the deep from April 29th, when the special exhibition, ‘In Smoke and Flames – the Battle of Fehmarn Belt 1644’ opens. Over the course of several years, the Viking Ship Museum’s maritime archaeologists have investigated the remains of three warships, which ended their days at the bottom of Fehmarn Belt on that fateful day in 1644, where the Danish fleet suffered the worst defeat in Danish history. The maritime archaeologists’ investigations have uncovered traces of the gruesome events, which marked the beginning of the end for Denmark’s dominance in the Baltic.
» Click here to read more about the special exhibition ‘In Smoke and Flames’.
Café Knarr opens April 21st
Spring is in full bloom and the Museum Harbour is buzzing with life. You can once again enjoy a cup of coffee, a cold beer or perhaps a delicious lunch in our atmospheric café, which opens for both indoor and outdoor service April 21st.
The food is prepared using ingredients that would have been available in the Viking Age. But don’t worry – the Museum’s chef, Morten Albrechtsen, transforms the raw ingredients into tasty, modern dishes, with a focus on quality and taste.
The café operates the same opening hours as the Museum:
Up to and including April 30th: 10:00-16:00
From May 1st: 10:00-17:00
Indoor service requires that guests wear a facemask and can provide a valid Corona-passport or negative Corona test (less than 72 hours old).
The Boatyard kicks off the summer season
Luckily, some things are just the same as the always are. May 1st, the exhibitions on the Museum Island will open and the boatbuilders will move their work outdoors where they will continue with building a fantastic Viking ship. The boatbuilders use the same type of materials as the Vikings did and work with the same 1,000-year-old techniques.
The new Viking ship is a reconstruction of one of the five ships, which are exhibited in the Viking Ship Hall: the cargo and transport vessel, Skuldelev 3.
The Viking Ship Museum is the only place in the world where, from experiencing a 1,000-year-old ship, you can go directly out to the boatyard, and witness modern craft specialists practicing the art of Viking Age boatbuilding.
The outdoor area at the boatyard is open seven days a week and the boatbuilders are ready to tell you all about how they work to reconstruct archaeological ship-finds. You must have a ticket to gain admission to the boatyard.
» Read more about the construction of the cargo vessel, Skuldelev 3.
Guided tours and Viking talks during weekends and bank holidays from May 1st
Each weekend and on bank holidays, you can join a guided tour on the Museum Island at 12:00 and learn exciting things during the ‘Viking Talk’ at 13:30.
Very soon…you can start looking forward to it…
... new stories about Viking life and their ships
... and exciting new exhibitions
... the smell of freshly-tarred rope
... the sound of heavy axe strokes from the boatyard
... to go on board the reconstructed Viking ships
... and to feel the wind in your hair on Roskilde Fjord
... great experiences at the Viking Ship Museum
We’re looking forward to welcoming you to the Viking Ship Museum!
