Roskilde Viking Museum

In June 2015 we visited the museum, probably the biggest attraction in Roskilde. (Link to the museum website.)

The main museum building with the five ships recovered from the Roskilde Fjord in 1962. The were sunk about 1000 AD to block attacks from the water.

There two main parts to the museum. The main building with the recovered ships is to the right. The open air museum is in the center. The entrance ticket includes both.

The main building on the right, over the bridge.

The ships were built for different purposes, some to carry cargo, some to transport men on long trips.

The long warship Skuldelev was built in Dublin in 1042 and shows the close contact between the Vikings and the Irish.
Longboats like these are very fast. They could sail up to 60 degrees against the wind and had a top speed of 14 – 17 knots.

Very few of the original parts were found for some boats.

For some boats, new materials were added to better show what they probably looked like.

It is quite obvious what is original and what is new material.

This short but broad ship carried cargo. Behind the ship is a room that shows a 20 minute film introduction.

Weaving sails.

A very popular section is where one can try on traditional clothes from the Viking times and take photos.

There is a large museum shop with elegant Danish clothes, books, toys and articles that remind of the Viking times.

The open air museum where the boats are made using old tools. The museum produces and sells wooden boats and Viking ships.

The blacksmith making rivets.

The museum is very interactive, and visitors can try to make ropes and weave cloth bands.

The Vikings made ropes of many materials, both animal and vegetable.

The museum does test trials of the boats during the summer. This, the largest ship, sailed along the Swedish west coast in July.

The museum has a small harbor with boats visitors can use.

For a small fee visitors can sail on one of the Viking ships. It takes a little paddling to get off the pier and into the wind.