JORVIK Viking Centre

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 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.