Viking Ship Museum
Viking Ship Museum
4.5
Speciality MuseumsShipsHistory Museums
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Warships await you at the Viking Ship Museum. Don't worry, they won't open fire. This museum is dedicated to education about boat building, archaeology and Viking life. It's a favorite among kids, and visitors of all ages can take to the water in traditional vessels. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. seven days a week, until 5 p.m. in summer months.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • Melisande Dz
    18 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice guided tour
    We took advantage of the free guided tour in English to visit the museum one morning. It was a pleasant moment, the young female guide was on top! I think you have to visit this museum while being guided so that the visit is interesting. The museum is small and not very interactive: nothing beats a guide to make everything "magical". I recommend visiting this place.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 20, 2023
  • sarah w
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting and informative
    We bought a copenhagen card and saw that this museum was part of it as well as the train travel to Roskilde so we thought we would have a day visitting outside of copenhagen and see this museum. Really informative and interesting museum. Defiantly worth trying to go early to catch the free museum tour, the tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about the history. We dont speak danish and everything was available in English. Definitely recommended if you have an interest in viking history.
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 27, 2023
  • thomur
    Enniscrone, Ireland78 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth a visit
    Saw the Viking ship museum in Oslo which was great and this one was equally good. It's relatively small but packs a lot in with your guides, cinema and exibits. Staff friendly and honest history about the vikings(ie they weren't all 6" 6). There isn't as much of the ships left as the Oslo museum, but the location by the sea is better. There are lots of full size reproductions of the original ships built using traditional methods. A good 2 hours in a lovely location.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 27, 2023
  • ltj-1964
    Cardiff, United Kingdom274 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very enjoyable, interesting visit
    A very interesting visit to the Viking ship museum. We had a forty five minute guided tour from a very knowledgable guide which we would highly recommend. The exhibits, in particular, the long boats, were well displayed.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 6, 2023
  • effyes
    Cochrane, Canada144 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must if you are in Copenhagen area
    We had an absolutely amazing visit here! If you go into it thinking you're just looking at the ruins of a few old boats it doesn't seem that interesting, or time consuming. but we spent almost a whole day here! The fact that they offer free tours is amazing in itself, museums elsewhere in the world wouldn't even dream of doing this. Our tour guide for the day, Silas, was fantastic - so informative, patient, friendly and clearly passionate. Aside from the informative tour the museum site itself has so much more to offer, you can look at the wood shop, see them making rope, look at their reconstruction boats, tour them and even row one! The gift shop is also really nice with lots of neat trinkets. We took a day trip out from Copenhagen via train and it was all lovely, the train ride is quick and easy and the walk from Roskilde Central Station to the museum is lovely in itself. Highly highly recommend.
    Visited May 2023
    Written June 6, 2023
  • Jeff K
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania2,019 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent Tours
    I wasn’t sure if I would like this visit but I found it very worthwhile. We were lucky to arrive when an English speaking outdoor tour was starting. They make boats at the museum following historical styles and processes, including Viking boats. The outdoor tour explains how and why the different types of boats were built. The tour lasted about an hour and is very informative. The guide was very good. Once the outdoor tour ended we were able to join an English indoor tour of the museum. This tour was shorter but very good. It was just the right amount of detail for us. We enjoyed our visit because of the tours. I don’t think it would be nearly as good if we had tried to visit on our own. Note that the tours are included in the price of admission and they have tours throughout the day. We joined the outdoor tour at noon and the indoor tour at 1:00. We had about 5 minutes to get from the outdoor tour to the indoor tour.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 3, 2023
  • JimRiesterer
    Edina, Minnesota4,726 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting history in aviation
    Definitely worth a visit for an hour or two in order to get a little more understanding of the Viking heritage in Denmark. The center piece of the museum are several partially preserved viking ships over 1,000 years old, the somewhat dated museum also provides glimpses into the crafts of shipbuilding and making rope (hint: starts as tree bark). We spent around an hour and got there just as it opened at 10. It’s an easy ride from the central train station in Copenhagen then an easy 20 minute walk out to the harbor and the museum. Here are lots of other activities and things for the kids as well.
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 6, 2023
  • Nalini N
    Greater Sydney, Australia559 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth the train trip to Roskilde!
    The train trip is not long then you walk or take a bus to the museum. The guide gave us interesting information about boat building etc and the museum displays are nicely presented with a lot of educational material. I thoroughly enjoyed my day out.
    Visited June 2023
    Written July 7, 2023
  • Jacques L
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must if you are anywhere near Copenhagen
    This was a great day out, first full day of our holiday in Denmark. Roskilde is an easy train ride from Copenhagen , even as there were 14 of us with bikes! An easy downhill cycle from the station to the DanHostel, (which is right next to the Viking Ship centre) where we stayed the night before. The Viking Ship museum is much more than a museum. Yes there is the museum housing the conserved remains of the viking ships and a wealth of information about them. There are plans afoot to re-house the ships in a more suitable building, so the museum may be different in a few years time. Outside on the water there are replicas of the ships that you can elect to sail in, so long as you are happy to brave the weather, hoist the sails and row! And on the wharf there are various areas with craftsmen & women replicating ship parts and other associated artefacts. Great in the early June sunshine, though probably not quite so much fun in the rain and wind. On the waterfront there is a modern cafe and a large restaurant overlooking the Marina. Within a few minutes you can walk you can walk away from the tourist bustle, along the side of the fjord, past smaller craft into the peace of a nature reserve. Unfortunately we ran out of time as in the afternoon we had arranged to cycle out to the Herslev Bryghus brewery where we had an excellent lunch followed by a very informative and entertaining tour of the brewery, then down to the nearby beach at Herslev Strand. All in all a perfect but busy, day. In the late afternoon we cycled back to the DanHostel to freshen up before venturing out on a fifteen minute walk up the hill to the quaint old town of Roskilde, with shops restaurants and bars where we enjoyed fine Danish hospitality, and a glimpse of the town square and cathedral. /we definitely could and should have spent two days in Roskilde. After a good night's sleep at the DanHostel we continued on with our tour, cycling all the way to the top of the Zealand island the next day.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written August 7, 2023
  • EmeraldDiva
    3,663 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great fun!
    Very easy trip by train from Copenhagen. Signs from the station guide the way, through this pretty town, to the Viking Ship Museum. The conserved ships on display are interesting of course, but in summer there is more to see and do. The ship builders, the rope makers, the activities for little ones are all fun and interesting. The replica ship that you can board and explore is really good and on a lovely day a sail out on the fjord is well worthwhile, and also quite hard work as you row and work the sail, under expert guidance of course. The cafe has tables inside and outside, and the food and beer, were most enjoyable. I had a very good time here, highly recommended.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written August 29, 2023
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Hitheroadwithlila
Lenexa, KS2,189 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Friends
From the Roskilde Cathedral, we moved to another site in Roskilde, the Viking Ship Museum. The ground, still wet from the previous rain, along with grey skies, and dense clouds, gave the site an ominous feel.
Once the group departed the tour bus, we weaved between buildings and areas that during the spring and summer would have been buzzing with tourists, guides, and local workers. Instead, we viewed partly constructed sailing Viking ships in the museum’s boatyard freely. I peeked into the windows of a rope making shop as well as other buildings as our group made its way to the museum.
As we approached the museum, there were a few people on the grounds, working on ship replicas. Inside the museum, to gain knowledge about the five original, excavated Viking vessels (Skuldelev ships) from 1962, a film, Five Viking Ships from Skuldelev played in a small theatre downstairs.
Upstairs, the haunting view of the 11th century ships are on display. Striking and poignant, to view these ships that were buried for years would make one wish that they could talk and reveal their history for all to hear.
Overall: There is a chance to board a traditional Nordic boat that allows passengers to take part in rowing and other jobs to have an idea what it was like to be a Viking. Check the website for availability starting in May to September.
Written February 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chang Percy
Taipei, Taiwan163 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
This museum is not big, but quite informative. Both the remains of old ships and modern replicas are very interesting to see and learn about.
Written November 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

garry_kneller
Eastleigh, UK13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Family
A fascinating insight to Viking history, with the human factor.

By that the museum is not just about exhibits, titles, pictures and displays. Instead their are demonstrations of skills required to build authentic Viking ship replicas, hands on opportunities for visitors to work with tools and wood, chances to sail on replica boats, and play in Viking games with actors, wearing costume.

Family tickets are available to lessen costs, and places to eat. However as with most Scandinavian countries it can be costly.

Parking can also be a problem on popular weekend days, so if possible, plan a week day visit, and plenty of time to walk and participate.

There is a lot of walking involved, so be aware, as the exhibits, craft demonstrations, and main long boat hall, despite being well planned, are spread across the main site.
Written October 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shadow P
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Solo
To see these iconic ships which were recovered from the ocean floor is moving. The purpose built museum is really attractive and the other boats re-created to historical designs are beautiful. Historic Danish capital Roskilde is itself gorgeous and an absolute must if you are visiting Copenhagen for more than a couple of days
Written October 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MAM
311 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
Visited here with family and a friend on our two week tour of Denmark. I had been here numerous times in the past. Great place to take a new person for easy to understand history of the Vikings and a close up of Viking ships. Spent most of our time inside since it was raining. Did a quick tour of outside in boatyard. English translations in the museum were perfect.
Written October 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John P
United Kingdom99 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Family
This is an amazing place to visit with family.
We highly recommend going and their tour guide/ ship maker Kevin has a wealth of knowledge, is educational and was amazing with my son.
Written October 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Robyn
Calgary, Alberta9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Solo
Loved the history, the informative museum, and ability to take it all in on my own. Definitely recommend if you're in the area!
Written October 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Candice M
Athens, OH16 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Couples
There's so much to do and see here! We also did the sailing experience which was definitely worth the time and money. We spent about 2.5 hours here but you could spend a half day here and have lunch.
Written September 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

gnadivi
Renton, WA276 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Solo
A good introduction to Viking ships and why historians believe they were key to the Viking era of domination (8th-11th centuries). Lots of exhibits as well as live demonstrations of different aspects of Viking ship building. Great place to bring the kids!
Written September 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stay07717892215
Miami, FL4 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Very interesting all the knowledge you get for this visit to the museum and the information about what is still been doing to preserve new finding about the Vikings. We liked it a lot.
Written September 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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VIKING SHIP MUSEUM: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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