Interest in the Vikings has reached an all-time high in recent years. From newly discovered ships to living villages and high-tech exhibitions – here are some of Norway’s top Viking sites
Norway.
Travel back in time and explore authentic ships and treasures, as well as modern Viking experience centres filled with cutting-edge technology. Attend a Viking festival or challenge your inner Viking in one of the many villages that have been built as open-air museums throughout the country. Here are the main Viking attractions in Norway – from south to north.
The Oslo region
In June 2019, a 1600 square metre state-of-the-art interactive entertainment centre opened in the city centre of Oslo. With ground-breaking virtual technology, high-end film productions, and a 270-degree cinema, The Viking planet is the first of its kind in Norway. Step back in time and experience Norwegian Vikings like never before!
The Viking Ship Museum on the Bygdøy peninsula just outside Oslo’s city centre has long been the most popular Viking museum to visit. Here, the three preserved Viking ships found in Norway – Oseberg, Tune and Gokstad – are exhibited. They are ranked among the world’s best-preserved vessels from the era. Unfortunately, the museum is temporarily closed for construction of the new, more modern Viking Age Museum. The new museum is scheduled to open in 2025/26. In the meantime, you can visit The Historical Museum in Oslo, which contains exquisite objects from the Viking Age.
A reconstruction of one of the Viking Age’s largest halls
In recent years, archaeologists have discovered two new Viking ships in the Oslo region, creating headlines around the world. The latest find was in Horten in Vestfold in 2019. Vestfold is also home to several museums where you can dive into Viking history. At Midgard Viking Centre in Horten, you can visit the magnificent Gildehallen, a reconstruction of one of the Viking Age’s largest halls, and see exhibitions that show many aspects of Viking life.
In the Viking hall at The Slottsfjell Museum in Tønsberg, you can experience Norway’s fourth best-preserved Viking ship, the Klåstad ship, discovered in 1970. In Tønsberg harbour, you can see, and maybe even sail aboard, an exact replica of the world-famous Oseberg ship, built by volunteers of the Oseberg Viking Heritage Foundation. At the Kaupang Viking town in Larvik, you can experience Norway’s first urban settlement from the Viking Age.
All three museums are located just a one-hour drive from Oslo.
Credit foto dall’alto: Sven-Erik Knoff – Visit Norway. The Viking Planet (2).
