2017: The Return of the Vikings
Following a multi-million pound renovation, JORVIK Viking Centre reopened on April 8, 2017, and saw the return of the Vikings with its newly reimagined exhibits.
After the Flood
Early on, it became clear the team faced a significant restoration challenge for JORVIK. The wooden-framed sets were heavily contaminated by floodwater, requiring replacement. Similarly, the skilled plaster models that had come into contact with the flood were discarded. With nearly the entire visitor experience updated and reimagined, work quickly commenced on JORVIK’s fourth incarnation.
“Before the flood, we had nearly six years’ of visitor feedback to help guide us on what people were looking for from a visit, and we’ve changed many aspects of the experience to respond to these comments – we’ve made greater use of video, photographs, sound and other memorabilia in the Discover Coppergate gallery, extended the time visitors spend on the ride by three minutes around Viking-age York, and opened up the artefact galleries to encourage visitors to stay longer enjoying the world-class treasures and artefacts on display, and chatting to our knowledgeable costumed interpreters,” explained Sarah Maltby director of Attractions.
Re-imagined JORVIK Viking Centre
On April 8, 2017, after a £4 million renovation, JORVIK Viking Centre reopened to the public. The reopening was met with overwhelming positivity, as tickets for the opening weekend quickly sold out. Recognizing the high national demand, the JORVIK team released additional time slots for pre-booked visits. This reimagined JORVIK experience now featured three sequential visitor journeys: Discover Coppergate, Experience Coppergate, and Explore Coppergate.
Discover Coppergate
The Discover Coppergate gallery provided visitors with vital historical context. Preserved Viking-age timbers, displayed above and below an expansive glass floor, allowed guests to visualize the archaeological findings from the Coppergate excavations 40 years prior. Projections on the gallery walls, featuring photographic and video footage, further brought the story of the Coppergate Dig to life. Audio recordings of the archaeologists’ recollections added a personal touch, immersing visitors in the excavation experience. Advanced reconstruction techniques had created a visually accurate representation of the Coppergate site underneath the glass floor, which now oriented and engaged visitors as they explored the stories of those who had uncovered this historic treasure over the five-year dig.
Experience Coppergate
A ride around a recreation of Viking-age York was a core feature of JORVIK since it first opened in 1984. The updated version promised to provide visitors with the sights, sounds and smells of York in the year AD 960. Much of the cityscape was rebuilt with a host of new animatronic characters added with 31 on display. As part of the reimagining, we created 22 new animatronics. We added more animals than ever to the recreation and paid even more attention to the smallest details. Tiny bits of lichen and moss growing on some of the properties and the weeds growing at the side of the streets reflect environmental remains found by microscopic analysis of soil samples.
The reimaging also gave us an opportunity to update the JORVIK soundscape. The new one incorporated various sounds of tradesmen around Coppergate, cooking in the homes, seagulls by the wharf and music by the fire all mingled with the voices of the residents.
JORVIK Viking Centre pioneered the use of the olfactory senses as an integral part of the visitor experience. Alongside the traditional smells of fish, cooking, fire, metal working and even cesspits that graced the recreation of Coppergate for 30 years the team added a number of newly commissioned aromas – including one to evoke the native forests of Yorkshire and the damp wharf at the river Foss.
Explore Coppergate
The new artefact gallery allowed visitors to explore the fascinating artefacts unearthed during the Coppergate dig. Each display case highlighted a different aspect of Viking life, from intricate metalwork and bone carvings to the world-famous Lloyds Bank Coprolite – a fossilized Viking poop that provided remarkable insight into their diet, health, and parasites.
Three cases now showcased Viking-age skeletons, with informative panels explaining the geographic origins, health, and lifestyles of these ancient city residents, based on the latest isotopic and osteological research. Two skeletons displayed were within the original wooden coffins, while a third was the focus of a partnership between the YAT curatorial team and York District Hospital, using 3D CAT scans to visualize the remains.
Interactive touch-screen displays enabled visitors to explore the skeletal remains and even the music of the Viking era, drawing on over 30 years of expert analysis from the dig. The gallery also featured a demonstration area with seating and magnifying screens, allowing close-up views of artifacts. Handling stations let visitors touch replicas and artefacts, guided by costumed interpreters, including the popular Viking coin-striking activity.
Overall, the new artefact gallery provided an immersive and educational experience, bringing the Viking era to life through a diverse range of interactive exhibits and displays.