The Jorvik Viking Centre York. (Jorvik Viking Centre)

Member Name: stephbond89

Product:	Jorvik Viking Centre
Date:	26/04/09 (130 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A great day out for all the family!

Disadvantages: Its short yet expensive.

The Jorvik center is if you didn't know, situated in the center of York, Yorkshire. Its one of the main attractions in the city and brings in hundreds of tourists and school visitors.

The Jorvik Centre (pronounced Yorvic), is a real acheaology site, where the Vikings of York lived thousands of years ago.

Its a museum with a twist though, as with "normal" museums, you walk around, you read signs and miss most things, especially if you have kids with you! But, this place is very different, when you enter, your taken into a "time machine", where you sit, and your told a short story, and a scientist takes us back in time to 975AD when the Vikings lived in York.

Upon leaving the "time machine", you notice you've been transported back in time, to the old streets of York. You are then taken to a "ride", I say ride, but its not really anything exciting, its like a Ghost Train type machine, where you sit in and it takes you around the museum. When your in the ride, you can chose a commentart of English, German, french, Italian and Spanish, there is also an English "children's" commentary, which is pretty much the same as the adults but its in a much easier to understand language so children don't get confused, which I thought was a great idea myself...and ended up listening to it myself one time I went!!!!!

The ride lasts around 20 minutes, and then at the end there is a short "walk around" part of the museum, where there are actors playing parts of the Vikings, and also a small shop at the other end. All in all a trip to the Jorvik centre won't last you much longer than an hour, if your lucky, which is not long at all seeing as you pay £8.50 per adult, and £6 per child, but it is well worth the trip! It gives you something just that little bit extra than just the same old museum. And it really gives you a new view on York itself.

The museum itself was "found" around 1984, when a new building was been built on the site, when the builders stumbled upon an old town beneath the new city of York, with Viking remains, a whole new York was found, and the museum was put on top of it, so that it could be preserved and so that tourists could see their findings.

The Jorvik centre is open 7 days a week. In summer the opening times are 10am-5pm and in winter, 10am til 4pm. The only days the Jorvik centre is fully closed in Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing day. So whenever you visit York, it is a well worth trip! Also, if your a tax payer, and you give Gift Aid, you get a free return trip within the next year for the same amount of people who went with you the first time...this is the same with most things in York infact!

Although the trip to the Jorvik centre isn't a long one, and you can't make a day of it, it is well worth it, you'll remember it all your life! And there are plenty other things to do in York to make up the day...the National Rail Museum for example isn't too far away and is free to enter, also when you buy your tickets for Jorvik, you can pay a little extra for admission to other York attractions, and you can save for families of 4, 5, and 6.

If your ever in York (and I do suggest a holiday there!!!), then the Jorvik is definitely a must see attraction, its great for all the family!!!!! Just remember to pack me in your suitcase....pleaseeee!!!!!

Summary: If your ever in York its a definite must see!!!