Vikings to invade Sydney….
Major international exhibition: Vikings – Beyond the legend
Opens 19 September 2013
at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour
The fascinating world of Scandinavia’s most famous celebrities – Vikings – will be revealed when
the major new exhibition Vikings – Beyond the legend opens at the Australian National Maritime
Museum this September.
Warriors, Valkyries, invaders and plunderers or explorers, merchants, traders and farmers?
Beyond the legends and myths, what do we really know about the people we call Vikings?
Developed by the Swedish History Museum Vikings – Beyond the legend draws on recent
archaeological discoveries and hundreds of rare artefacts to shed new light on the Viking way of
life and quash stereotypes of Vikings as ferocious, plundering pagans in horned helmets.
While the Viking Age (8th-11th centuries) may be synonymous with surprise seaborne raids by
longships full of warriors, most Scandinavians were never Vikings. Scandinavian societies were far
more versatile and complex. They were peasant communities with social positions and destinies
largely determined by land ownership.
Visitors to the exhibition will see hundreds of unique artefacts, many never before seen in
Australia, including exquisite gold and silver pendants, the oldest known Scandinavian crucifix,
beautifully designed jewellery such as arm bands, neck rings, and brooches, small statuettes of
Norse gods, and Viking swords ranging in date from 700-1100AD which demonstrate the intricacy
of Viking arts, craft, and metal work technologies.
“Vikings have come to symbolise the terror of the so-called Dark Ages in Europe. They are a
persistent presence in popular culture and hold a fascination for people even here in Australia,”
says Australian National Maritime Museum curator Dr Stephen Gapps.
“There are many myths surrounding the Vikings that were established in the 19th century,
including that warriors wore horned helmets, that they were all pagan plunderers and that there
was one homogenous Viking culture. In fact, the word Viking seems to have been a Nordic term
for someone going voyaging or adventuring and new archaeological evidence shows distinct
variations in Scandinavian cultures during the Viking Age.”
Interactive digital stations will allow visitors to try out different roles in Viking society, explore
Viking mythology and understand what effect a great surge in ship building had on the
environmental landscape.
The exhibition also includes an eight metre replica Viking boat called Krampmacken, a
reconstruction of a Viking boat found in Lake Tingstäde on Gotland, Sweden.
The National Maritime Museum is the only place to see the international blockbuster, before it
tours to America, Canada and Europe.
Proudly supported by major partner Viking Cruises, Vikings - Beyond the legend opens on 19
September 2013. Tickets are $27 adults, $16 child/concession, $70 family and can be prebooked
through Ticketek www.ticketek.com.au.
The exhibition is a joint venture between and produced by The Swedish History Museum,
Stockholm and MuseumsPartner Austria.
The Australian National Maritime Museum, in Darling Harbour, is open from 9.30am to 5pm daily.
All enquiries (02) 9298 3777 or visit www.anmm.gov.au/vikings.
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Media interviews and images available on request.
29 July 2013
Media inquiries:
Shirani Aththas (02) 9298 3642, 0418 448 690 saththas@anmm.gov.au