The JORVIK Viking Centre underwent a multi-million pound re-imagining. Travel back in time to 960 AD and meet the residents of the Viking Age at the JORVIK Viking Centre. This world-famous tourist attraction came about when archaeologists unearthed amazing Viking artifacts in York's Coppergate Dig. In order to open up the site to future generations, York Archaeological Trust hatched an ambitious plan to build a reconstruction of a Viking Age settlement. The center opened in 1984 and has been wildly popular ever since, with over 18 million visitors passing through its doors in the past 30 years.
What's New?
Hop aboard the ride experience and you'll be transported back to the year AD960; Eric Bloodaxe, the last Viking King in Jorvik, has been expelled, and the city is transforming itself. You will discover the impact of international trade on Viking-Age York, including the evolution of a multicultural society in the city, as it's not just trade goods that flowed into Jorvik but people from across the globe! Have a unique gallery experience, with display cases allowing you to get up close to these precious Viking artifacts. You will have the chance to dig deeper into the Viking story of York using the latest in cutting-edge technology located throughout the center.
Step into the Viking Era
Over the years, the JORVIK Viking Centre has continued to upgrade and develop its exhibits and interactive elements. New characters have been brought to life using animatronics created in America. Each character is based on information found during the archaeological digs. Be on the lookout for Sigurd the antler worker and even an arguing couple. All of the characters are voiced in Old Norse by the York University MA and PhD students. During your visit, you can also walk through the streets and settlements as they would have looked during the Viking Age. Coppergate is one of the few places in the world where you can experience this era and see excavations and houses as they would have been 1000 years ago. The JORVIK Viking Centre also has two sister attractions worth checking out. Step back into medieval York at the Henry VII Experience in The Micklegat Bar and the Barley Hall.
York's living history
Just by wandering through the York city streets, you can soak up the historic atmosphere. Many of the beautiful buildings date back to the medieval or Viking eras and have been carefully preserved and restored. The Shambles is a picturesque shopping street, parts of which date back to the 14th century. As you stroll the quaint streets, you will certainly feel like you have journeyed back hundreds of years. We bet that you'll find it hard to concentrate on shopping as you marvel at the architecture that surrounds you.
