Viking Ship Museum & Frederikssund Settlement | Parents News: Information For Families in the UK

Roskilde Viking Ship Museum

The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde is the museum for ships, sea-faring and boat building from ancient and medieval times in Denmark. Here you can see the five Viking ships found at Skuldelev, both the original parts and the reconstruction using original crafts. A cinema will show you a film explaining the technical side of the excavation of the ships. The halls also houses special temporary exhibitions which always has an educational twist and is designed to be child friendly and interactive. An annual Wind & Water festival is held at the museum.

Museum Island and Harbour

Next to The Viking Ship Museum is Museum Island which was opened in 1997. Here visitors can watch shipwrights at work, join in various activity and archaeological workshops. They have large collections of traditionally reconstructed Nordic wooden boats and Viking ships. Families can try sailing on the Fjord on board a Viking ship. You have to be able to row out of the harbour so it’s for over 4 years old only. This island also has restaurants & cafes. We tried Snekken restaurant where the food is a modern fusion of the past and the present, connecting the history and food in one experience. Thoroughly recommend this outing to all families, great food, a bit of education plus some exercise. What more could you want? www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk

Frederikssund Viking Settlement and Play

A Viking settlement with five pit houses (semi submerged), a longhouse and a small harbour. Every summer they take to a vast outdoor stage with a cast of over 200 locals, adults and children, for an annual play which is in Danish. This major local event has a professional standard wardrobe and props department. During the play season they also have a festival which includes family events, activities and market. The atmosphere the characters that live here create really bring the mythological Viking Age to life. Their life style may seem eccentric to outsiders but you are soon caught up in their enthusiasm and energy

In December they have a festival of lights and Viking market with authentic craft. The town of Frederikssund is on Kalv Island and if you walk around the perimeter of the settlement you can enjoy the view across of the Roskilde Fiord. www.vikingespil.dk/