Viking Ship Museum – Roskilde
After spending a day in Copenhagen checking out the sites and visiting the Carlsberg Brewery, we jumped on a train to Roskilde to visit the Viking Ship Museum (Vikingeskibsmuseet). (Location)
In 1962, five Viking ships were uncovered in the mud at the bottom of the Roskilde Fjord near Skuldelev, Denmark. Therefore, this year, 2012, the Viking Ship Museum is celebrating the 50th anniversary of that discovery. Very interesting place to visit.
From their website: “At the Viking Ship Museum we have moved the research out to the boatyard and out at sea. The interaction between archaeologists, historians, craftsmen and sailors has created the basis for a special work environment. With this exhibition we would like to give museum visitors a look behind the scenes and show how we work with the ships – from the historical excavation in 1962 to more than 20 years of reconstruction and sailing” says curator Louise K. Henriksen.
There are a total of 5 ships on display, which is pretty cool.
In addition, there are various diagrams and representations of what the ships may have looked like originally along with plenty of info panels with viking stories through the ages and a bit of factual information on the history of the viking regions and explorations.
Outside the physical museum there are the museum docks where they have several demonstrations on viking crafts including demonstrations of modern “Nordic” ship-building using the same style of tools that the Vikings would have used.
This is a viking ship museum and what visit wouldn’t be complete without actually getting to sail a viking ship? After a quick safety talk you can!
We rowed in a replica of a Viking ship in the Roskilde Harbour and learned a lot about the Viking/Nordic ship-building industry.
The museum has 1 hour rides on their own fleet of viking ships where you and about 11 other museum goers get to row out into the fiord and set sail!
After we had done some of the rowing out in the harbor, it was time to put up the sail. We did a pretty good job of the rowing, I guess, so Alan got to control the tiller while I got to trim the mainsail. Had a good time being Viking sailors for about an hour and then it was off to the train station for another adventure.
 
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