The Yorkshire Museum in the city of York is the premier museum in the north of England for ancient objects and rare finds and its fascinating new exhibition, Viking North, reveals the impact of the Vikings on the north of England.

Filled with magnificent objects, many unseen for generations and others which have never been on public display, this is the best collection of Viking finds to be shown outside of London and tells the story of the Viking Age in the North of England from 866 to 1066. 

Underpinned by new archaeological research and cutting-edge technology, the exhibition combines objects from Yorkshire Museum’s own collection, the Vale of York hoard, co-owned with the British Museum, and specially loaned national and regional items including objects from the Viking Army Camp at Aldwark in North Yorkshire.

This combination of artefacts, shown together for the first time, reflects the north as the power base for the Vikings. Many of these items in gold and silver are of high value and prestige – our version of ‘bling’ – that deemed to show the power, wealth and skills of the Viking people who lived in Yorkshire and the wider north of England.

Silver gilt bowl from the Vale of York Hoard in Viking North at Yorkshire Museum (courtesy of York Museums Trust)

Dr Adam Parker, Curator of Archaeology at York Museums Trust, said: "Viking North is a story of geopolitical change and a clash of cultures. A story enhanced by the inclusion of loans from other museum partners and private individuals. This exhibition will enable generations of visitors to benefit from the successes of these partnerships.  

"When the Viking Great Army arrived in the North of England in AD 866, everything changed. Anglo-Saxon kings were defeated, new territories and allegiances rose and fell, new identities were forged, and new international connections were made.

"The story will be brought alive by the emergent research into these temporary, mobile towns in the late 9th century as these settlers expanded their geographical locations and made England their home. This major exhibition is a chance to marvel at, explore and understand the true story of the Vikings in the north."

The York Helmet, Viking North (courtesy of York Museums Trust)

The world class objects on display include the renowned York Helmet found in Coppergate in York, the best-preserved helmet from Early Medieval England; a silver-gilt bowl found with sword in a Viking burial in Cumbria and the Bedale Hoard, an extraordinary collection of precious items including silver from the Middle East.

Visitors can see an incredible silk cap preserved in the waterlogged soil of Coppergate in York, evidencing the imported style and prosperity that the Vikings enjoyed; A bone pricker and pins presenting strange and unusual beasts as an important elements in Viking art, and the Vale of York Hoard – 700 pieces of gold and silver jewellery and coins found near Harrogate in 2007, which was the most significant Viking silver find in 150 years.

Viking North will run until 2027 and, alongside the other exhibitions in the museum, enables visitors to place the Vikings in the context of the history of Britain and the Viking influences in the North of England. 

Janet Redler, Managing Director of Janet Redler Travel, added: “This wonderful new exhibition will shine a spotlight on the role the Vikings played in the history of the north of England, and indeed the country as a whole, as well as highlighting the Viking’s important international links. It is well worth a visit on a trip to the magnificent city of York!”

If you or your group would like to see the Viking North exhibition on a visit to the city of York, perhaps as part of a tailor-made tour of the north of England, please do contact our team today. Or maybe you would like to discover more about the Viking history of the United Kingdom and Ireland on a dedicated Viking tour? If so, we can help!