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Top Archaeological museums in York, United Kingdom
Top Rated Archaeological museums in York
Top Reviewed Archaeological museums in York
Reviews
Last visited in 1988, keen to see how it had all changed, great update on the ride system although a tad slow lol, staff were amazing, so helpful and really interactive with you. Great for families and everyone with a keen historic interest 😊
Very interesting, great idea for an attraction. Kids loved the ride and we enjoyed the artifacts at the end
Pretty cool place but it was packed and smaller than I thought. The ride with all the animatronics was neat for my kids and seeing everything unearthed and they got a hammered viking coin which was neat. oh and the guy going to bathroom and the fake smell was pretty hilarious and gross at the sametime.
A great experience! As a kid I was always fascinated by Vikings and I got an opportunity to understand their life, profession and the various stages of their development. It was a wholesome experience. A great history museum. Must acknowledge the great work done by the staff too who were very professional, cordial and knowledgeable.
Very interesting for the archaeological record of the vikings in York, but I'm not much into the ride through the animatronic recreations. It's just my personal taste, but a larger, more traditional archaeological exhibition would have been more interesting for me. Still certainly worth a visit, especially if you're into visual recreations.
It is lovely to see people dressed as Vikings. The staff is nice and knowledgeable. The ride and the smell is amazing.
The only downside: the first room you visit is a guided room, and the queue for the ride happens right here. Inconsiderate people will be loud while the staff talks on the speaker. It becomes a social awkward moment when you feel the urge to tell the people in the ride queue in the same room with you to be considerate. I did not enjoy that part. I don’t enjoy overlapping talk or music in general. The staff should steward moments like this and lead the queue to be considerate for the duration of the talk.
The only downside: the first room you visit is a guided room, and the queue for the ride happens right here. Inconsiderate people will be loud while the staff talks on the speaker. It becomes a social awkward moment when you feel the urge to tell the people in the ride queue in the same room with you to be considerate. I did not enjoy that part. I don’t enjoy overlapping talk or music in general. The staff should steward moments like this and lead the queue to be considerate for the duration of the talk.
The museum may not be particularly large, but it offers an engaging experience suitable for all ages and interests. The visit begins with an introduction to Viking settlements and their history, followed by an immersive journey in a cabin where you are transported into Viking society. Along the way, you’ll encounter lifelike mannequins representing traders, settlements, and customs, with an impressive level of realism. In some sections, scents are introduced to enhance the authenticity of the experience—rest assured, nothing unpleasant.
A helpful tip: once you select your preferred language for the journey, it cannot be changed mid-way.
After the immersive experience, you’re invited to explore a room featuring archaeological artifacts from the Viking era, which beautifully complements the earlier part of the visit.
Overall, the museum is well worth a visit. Its moderate size ensures you stay engaged throughout. As a bonus, visitors can create their own coins with a Viking-inspired design at the end of the tour.
Also, kudos to the staff, who have been very friendly throughout.
A helpful tip: once you select your preferred language for the journey, it cannot be changed mid-way.
After the immersive experience, you’re invited to explore a room featuring archaeological artifacts from the Viking era, which beautifully complements the earlier part of the visit.
Overall, the museum is well worth a visit. Its moderate size ensures you stay engaged throughout. As a bonus, visitors can create their own coins with a Viking-inspired design at the end of the tour.
Also, kudos to the staff, who have been very friendly throughout.
We didn't buy a ticket beforehand and had to stand in a queue outside for a bit, but it even though it was in the middle of summer vacation, it wasn't too bad. The staff is really good at explaining everything you see and you can ask them about everything.
It was a very fun encounter when you come as a dane!
It was a very fun encounter when you come as a dane!
Such a fun experience and so much Information given. The ride through the viking streets is really something else. You can see moving animals, people and even smell the streets as you pass through
The museum is situated opposite another entertainment centre, has a long queue but only actually took about less than 5 minutes to get in. It was raining but we were not offered umbrellas, even though they had lots to give out in the gift shop which we realised at the end of the museum.
Overall a really cool collection and the staff were very knowledgeable. It is unbelievable how we know so much about the Vikings and you can learn about them too!
Also quite like that the museum will let you go back all year with one ticket. Not many places do that, so if you're a local or a big viking fan then that's a bonus if you'd want to go back!
Overall a really cool collection and the staff were very knowledgeable. It is unbelievable how we know so much about the Vikings and you can learn about them too!
Also quite like that the museum will let you go back all year with one ticket. Not many places do that, so if you're a local or a big viking fan then that's a bonus if you'd want to go back!
Great place to visit for all ages. You can experience how people in the age of vikings lived in York. I was impressed how the robots, including a rat, seemed to be so real. I really enjoyed the tour in a "gondola" type vehicle that took us on a tour around a medieval village. You can even smell the food, hear them talking, and sign. It's a great experience. I highly recommend it.
A really different experience to most museums - incredibly immersive to an extent I've never seen anywhere else. It's very accessible information to all ages and very interesting. It won't take too long to go through, it won't take up a whole half day for example, but it is definitely worth the entrance fee.
Amazing experience will definitely recommend to visit, didn't get ticket in advance so had to wait 20 minutes but I was happy with it. People that are working inside are very helpful and knowledgeable. Going through time and different houses of Viking tomes was memorable and very educational. Ticket is £15 and is valid for 1 year so you can come back as many times as you like. Will recommend for everyone if visiting York
This was a fantastic attraction to visit, with stairs or a lift to enter straight away from the suitable reception with nice staff! The glass floor was excavations is wonderful in the first room, where black and white imagery depicts the area in olden days beautifully. What follows on the ride is a fascinating experience, telling stories from back in time and going through the moving settings! The artefacts are incredible too, giving an insight into how people lived way back then.
This is a great experience, especially when visiting for the first time.
It's worth buying tickets in advance to avoid waiting, but it's not essential.
The staff are excellent and really add to the experience, guiding and providing interesting details.
The 'ride' is like going through a film set. The scenes are great and align with the narration. The characters are animated and have some pretty realistic details.
It can lack appeal for return visits, but hopefully they have scope to reinvent areas.
It's worth buying tickets in advance to avoid waiting, but it's not essential.
The staff are excellent and really add to the experience, guiding and providing interesting details.
The 'ride' is like going through a film set. The scenes are great and align with the narration. The characters are animated and have some pretty realistic details.
It can lack appeal for return visits, but hopefully they have scope to reinvent areas.
One of the best things to visit whilst in York. Reasonably priced and suited for both adults and children. Gives you an amazing insight into viking heritage and how they unearthed the actual viking site. The ride in the carriages that takes you around the village was very innovative and fun and you can select various languages for the commentary for tourists. The exhibition is very detailed after the ride and depending on your pace, you can be in there for at least 2-3 hours. You can revisit with your ticket throughout the year which was a bonus!