Norway gets a new Viking era museum

Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB scanpix

As part of the Granavold Declaration; the Conservative Party, Freedom Party, Liberal Party and KrF have agreed that a new museum will be built for the Viking ships and the Viking age collections.

The declaration states that the government will start work on the construction of the Viking Age Museum at Bygdøy.

Research and Higher Education Minister Iselin Nybø (V), Vice-Chancellor Svein Stølen from the University of Oslo and Museum Director Håkon Glørstad indicated that a clear signal has been given for the construction project at Vikingskiphuset on Bygdøy Friday.

“This allows us to secure and preserve the ships and collections for the future. This is our World Heritage, we shall take care of that, and I am very happy that all doubts are now gone – now it will be building a new Viking era museum,” says Nybø.

The new museum will be 13,000 square meters, of which 5,000 square meters will be exhibition space. The aim is to create a living museum with exhibitions that are updated and convey the Viking Age in a stimulating way.

In addition, there will be a shop, restaurant, the possibility to hold events and a museum park.

The Viking inheritance is important
“Of all the buildings and construction projects that are ready to receive a start grant, I am very happy that the new government have raised the Viking Era Museum. This was important for the Left party, and the Viking history is important for the country,” says Nybø.

The Viking Age Museum at Bygdøy is part of the Cultural History Museum at the University of Oslo. In the museum there are the tombs from Tune, Gokstad, Oseberg and Borre.

The most important goal of a new museum is to ensure access to cultural history, knowledge and understanding of the Viking Era, increased security for the Viking Era collection and provide better working conditions for the employees.

Fantastic
Museum director Håkon Glørstad believes it is crucial for the collection’s safety to get a new museum in place as quickly as possible.

“We have long known that something had to be done to secure them in a responsible manner for the future, and here actually means time. That the government is now in favor of this is absolutely fantastic. We would like to thank the Minister of Knowledge, Iselin Nybø, for having raised this matter in the crucial negotiations,” he says in a press release.

UiO director Svein Stølen is very happy, but also relieved. “There was great disappointment at the university when the museum did not join the final state budget for 2019, which was adopted before Christmas.”

“It has given many people at UiO sleepless nights. Now we are in a new phase. This is important to the culture and knowledge of the nation of Norway and for the University of Oslo,” he states.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today