The Museum of the Viking Age, part of the Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo, is located in Bygdøy on the site of the historic Viking Ship Museum (opened 1926) and is set to open in 2027. The project transforms and expands the existing structure into a 13,000-square-metre cultural complex, redefining how Viking history is preserved, interpreted, and experienced.

 

Designed as both a centre for conservation and a platform for storytelling and research, the museum will present over 5,000 artefacts, including the three oldest surviving Viking ships, offering an immersive and contemporary visitor experience centred on one of the world’s most significant archaeological collections.

 

The project brings together a bold new building by AART Architects (Aarhus) and a 5,500-square-metre exhibition designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates and Tamschick Media + Space, with display cases and fit-out fabricated and installed by Goppion.

 

This session offers a behind-the-scenes perspective on the making of a major new museum, bringing together the voices of the client, exhibition designers and specialists in exhibition engineering, display case design and fabrication. Building on the legacy of the original museum, the project reimagines the visitor’s journey through a new architectural vision, a narrative-led exhibition and advanced conservation strategies.

 

Speakers from the Museum, Ralph Appelbaum Associates and Goppion will present the development of the project—from curatorial concept through exhibition design to construction—highlighting how media, storytelling, collection display and public programming are integrated to shape the visitor experience.

 

It will examine how a unique and fragile collection—ranging from everyday objects to ancient sleds—has informed the project at every stage, from concept development to construction and installation. Key challenges will be addressed, including the conservation and display of highly sensitive artefacts and large-scale objects such as the Viking ships, and how these requirements have been integrated within a contemporary, immersive exhibition environment. Particular attention will be given to the integrated design and technical strategies developed to address these challenges.