Our very last tour in Iceland was to Viking World Museum located five minutes from Keflavik International Airport. Its highlight is an exact replica of an old Viking ship called the Gokstad excavated from an ancient burial mound in Norway in 1882. Gokstad was so well preserved that scientists were able to date it back to 870 AD when Iceland was settled. Replica Islendingur is a seaworthy vessel that sailed to North America in 2000 as part of the millennial celebration of Leifur Eiriksson’s journey to the new world. Leifur (Leif) was the son of Eric the Red. Islendingur is made of carefully selected pine and oak from Norway and Sweden while its sail was manufactured in Denmark.
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Islendingur – Viking World Museum, Iceland
TravelsWithSheila in a viking boat at Viking Museum, Iceland
Viking World museum map, Iceland
Located in the seaside town of Reykjanesbaer, Viking World opened in 2009 and has five different exhibitions connected to the Viking age. It offers a unique opportunity to learn about the history and lifestyle of the Vikings of the North Atlantic 1,000 years ago. During the Viking era, a ship like the Islendingur (Icelander) usually had 32 oars and carried 70 crew members to accommodate a double shift of rowers. There was a sandpit in the middle of the ship to make an open fire and livestock would provide fresh meals on the long voyage. How fun to walk on a Viking ship and inspect it more carefully.
Islendingur sails, Viking World Museum in Iceland
Different exhibits told the story of Viking expansion across the North Atlantic, settlement of Iceland and displayed Ninth Century archaeological remains from a settlement on the Reykjanes peninsula. Viking World has a cafe, small gift shop and once again, we didn’t have enough time there to really see all the different exhibits.