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Vikingabyn Storholmen

24 June 2020 / 12 Comments

Vikingabyn Storholmen - open-air museum in Roslagen.

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Vikingabyn Storholmen is an open-air museum beautifully situated by Lake Erken in Roslagen. For a few weeks in the summer, the village is populated by a Viking association, and at certain times families with children and others are welcomed to learn more about the Viking Age and our exciting history.

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Viking village Storholmen

Vikingabyn Storholmen was founded in 1996 and is an archaeological open-air museum. By presenting Viking Age environments and contemporary crafts, the museum aims to bring history to life for the public, especially families with children.

The open-air museum is open for a few weeks during the summer, when the buildings on the headland are alive with activities for all ages. At other times of the year there are school programmes and special activities that can be booked in advance.

Vikingabyn Storholmen

The Viking village of Storholmen is located on the eastern side of Lake Erken, about one kilometre north of Norrtälje in Roslagen.

Our visit to the Viking village of Storholmen

We came to the Viking village Storholmen more or less by chance. We had celebrated midsummer at Väddö sea baths and camping, and on the way back to Stockholm we free camped one night at Svanberga bathing area, by Lake Erken. We had seen that there was a nature reserve nearby and walked onto a path ... and that's when the Viking village appeared!

Vikingabyn Storholmen

The open-air museum had not yet opened for the season, but we were still welcomed in to have a look. When we arrived at the entrance, we were greeted by a young woman, dressed in Viking clothes and holding a small child in her arms. She let us in and told us happily and enthusiastically about the organisation, before welcoming us to look around on our own. This was a surprisingly fun and interesting visit!

Peter vid Vikingabyn Storholmen

Foundation, association and volunteers

Storholmen Viking Village is run by the Storholmen Foundation. Many of the activities are carried out by the non-profit organisation Storholmen's Viking Association. Every summer, members of the association populate the village and bring it to life.

Vikingabyn Storholmen
Vikingabyn Storholmen
Vikingabyn Storholmen

For a number of weeks, members of the association move into the village to live the Viking life. For a few hours a day they welcome tourists and during these hours they show crafts, tell stories about the Viking Age, hold a rune school and organise other activities. The village is also populated, at least in 'normal' years, by volunteers from other countries.

Vikingabyn Storholmen
Vikingabyn Storholmen
Vikingabyn Storholmen

Viking Age environment

The Viking village Storholmen offers above all a Viking Age environment. There are six houses built using different Viking Age construction techniques. These include a 24 metre long hall with a shingle roof that was completed in 2019. There is also a smithy, a cookhouse with a barbecue area, herb gardens, rune stones and two Viking Age boat constructions.

Learning about the Viking Age

We were given a spontaneous guided tour by one of the people behind the Storholmen Foundation. He told us about the challenges of building and developing the Viking village with limited financial resources, but also about the enthusiasm and commitment of the organisation.

Viking vid Vikingabyn Storholmen

We also learnt a few things about the Viking Age and runes, about preserved correspondence from this time in our history, about how to be recruited for jobs in other countries and about things like status and cemeteries. Interesting!

Did Vikings really live here? Well, maybe not exactly on the islet, but the surrounding area was definitely populated by Vikings, as we know because there are plenty of ancient graves in the area.

Things to see and do in Vikingabyn

In the Viking village you can above all experience a Viking Age environment, but when the open-air museum opens this summer, many different activities will also be organised. There will be "stations" where you can try different crafts, such as wool crafts or baking flatbread over an open fire. There will also be activities such as a rune school, questions about the Viking Age and storytelling.

Visiting the Viking village

Storholmen Viking Village will be open for three weeks this summer (2020), starting on 21 July. There will also be two "Viking Days" on 28 June and 30 August. In addition, special activities are organised, and you can also book activities for groups. Due to COVID-19, the Open Air Museum has to limit the number of visitors this year, so it is advisable to book your visit in advance.

Service in the Viking village

When you live a Viking life, you live relatively simply, but there should at least be sausages to buy (which you may have to grill yourself). There is also a pizzeria not far from the Viking village.

Handla korv i vikingabyn Storholmen

Things to see and do around Vikingabyn Storholmen

The Viking village of Storholmen is beautifully situated by Lake Erken, and a short distance from the open-air museum you will find Svanberga bathing area and the beautiful... Norr Malma nature reserve. The nature reserve is not very large, but offers magnificent oak trees and burial sites from the early Iron Age. There are also many other exciting things to see and experience in and around the area. Norrtälje, such as Pythagoras Industrial Museum and various nature reserves and islands. Experience Grisslehamn where we have written about 7 great tips. that you should not miss.

Norr Malma naturreservat

Have you been to Vikingabyn Storholmen? Please tell us! Or maybe you have more tips on similar sights or activities?

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Facts about the Viking village Storholmen

  • Address: Varjagvägen 1, Svanberga
  • Location: The Viking village of Storholmen is located in Svanberga, on Lake Erken, about one kilometre from Norrtälje.
  • More info: You can find more information at Open air museum website.

Opening hours

The opening hours below are for 2020. Please note that advance purchase is recommended. The number of people in the area will be limited during the summer of 2020, due to covid-19. Tickets can be booked via Visit Roslagen.

  • General opening hours: Week 30-32, i.e. 21 July - 8 August, Tuesday - Saturday 12:00-16:00 (2020).
  • Children's Viking Days: Sunday 28 June 12:00-15:00 and Sunday 30 August 12:00-15:00 (2020).

Prices

  • Entrance fee for adults: 100 (2020)
  • Entrance fee for seniors: 90 kroner (2020)
  • Children 3-15 years old: 90 kroner (2020)
  • Children 0-2 years: Free admission
  • Children's Viking Days: 60 for adults and 80 for children (2020).
  • Group tours and special activities: See the website of the Open Air Museum.

Services and practical information

  • Toilets: Outhouse with access to water and electric lighting. Accessible water toilet (RWC) is under construction.
  • Food service: There is a simple restaurant where you can buy sausages to grill. There is also a pizzeria within walking distance, outside the area.
  • Shop: Governorate sales
  • Parking: You can park in the field by the road. There are also car parks at Svanberga bathing area.

Activities

  • Try crafts: Blacksmithing, wool crafts, baking flatbread over a fire, writing with runes, creating in clay and more.
  • Learn about the Viking Age: Runic school, question and answer session on the Viking Age and storytelling.
  • Playing and singing: Fighting games and singing and music.
  • Group tours: Groups can book a 1.5 hour guided tour. In addition, you can book a walk among the Viking graves and Viking Age fighting games.
  • School programmes: School programmes are organised for school students.
  • Special activities, which are booked separately: Viking boat trip, sauna and lying day, Viking play day, ancient spa and Viking evening with boat trip.
  • Book your own events: You can also book Viking Village Storholmen for your own events.

Getting to the Viking village of Storholmen

  • Car: From Stockholm you drive towards Norrtälje and then north on road 76. About one mile after Norrtälje you will see the sign "Vikingaby". Here you turn left towards the lake and park in the field.
  • Bus: From Norrtälje you can take bus 636, 637 or 641 to the stop Svanberga affär. The bus journey takes about 10 minutes.
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24 June 2020 6:00
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7 Comments

Add yours →

  1. Ama de casa says:

    What an educational place in an incredibly beautiful setting! I had no idea that this existed...

    Have a nice little Saturday! 🙂

    24 June 2020 - 8:52

    Reply

  2. Ann says:

    Oh this sounds like a place I can appreciate 🙂 .

    24 June 2020 - 10:26

    Reply

  3. Lena i Wales says:

    Interesting!
    A place I have never visited.
    Enjoy the heat!

    24 June 2020 - 11:02

    Reply

  4. BP says:

    Great drone pictures! Imagine what you learn. Never heard of the Viking village. Imagine that people really live there. Wonder if they have TV;-)

    24 June 2020 - 22:13

    Reply

5 Pingbacks

  1. Lingnåre Cultural Reserve - historical trails in Uppland | FREEDOMtravel
  2. Pythagoras Industrial Museum in Norrtälje - step into history | FREEDOMtravel
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