The construction project to build the new Museum of the Viking Age in Oslo has received a boost with the allocation of further funding from private and public sources.
The news comes as a relief for museum officials after a period of uncertainty due to budget cuts made in 2022.
Teething troubles
The Museum of the Viking Age, which is scheduled for completion in 2027, is the successor to the Viking Ship Museum, which has housed the famous Oseberg and Gokstad ships for nearly a century.
The original building of the Viking Ship Museum was designed to handle around 40,000 people each year.
By the time of its closure in 2021, however, it was struggling to cope with annual visitor numbers that were closer to half a million.
The new project received the green light back in 2019, as the authorities looked to create a more expansive museum capable of comfortably accommodating the increased number of visitors and providing a more expansive and interactive exploration of the Viking Age.
Yet, as the Museum of the Viking Age project manager, Göran Joryd informs The Viking Herald, a change of heart from the Norwegian government two years ago has left the construction process mired in difficulties.
"In 2022, new budgets were presented by the government's building commissioner (Statsbygg)," Göran explains.
"The budgets showed the construction project would be NOK 1,000 million (USD 89.7 million) more expensive than what had been allocated from the state budget."
"The government then cut functions worth NOK 250 million (USD 22.4 million) from the project – though the University of Oslo was given the opportunity to take back these functions with private financing."
- READ MORE: A Viking history of Norway – Part 1
Public pressure and a plea from museum officials prompted the government to allocate additional funding to address infrastructure shortfalls. Source: Museum of the Viking Age, University of Oslo
Government makes new contribution
The withdrawal of public funds led to serious concerns about whether it would be possible to build the basic infrastructure required for the flagship museum to open on time.
As Göran admits to The Viking Herald, there were fears that even if the museum had been able to open on schedule in 2027, it might have been forced to shut its doors again for further refurbishment.
"If the reduced project had been realized and opened in 2027 without the necessary technical infrastructure and other functions," he says, "completing the construction work afterward would have been very difficult to implement without closing the museum."
Fortunately, after public pressure and a plea for further assistance from the museum earlier this year, the government has now announced additional resources that go some way toward restoring this loss of funding.
"The cuts from 2022 had also removed some technical infrastructure for which it is very difficult to find private financing," Göran tells The Viking Herald.
"The government, therefore, allocated NOK 50 million (USD 44.8 million) in November to technical infrastructure to enable the establishment of the functions that were cut in 2022."
The funding will help create activity rooms for young visitors and complete the museum’s inner courtyard. Source: Museum of the Viking Age, University of Oslo
Bank foundation also steps up
The museum project has enjoyed further good news with an award of NOK 64 million (USD 7.8 million) from the Savings Bank Foundation DNB toward areas related to education.
The money will be used to support work on activity rooms at the museum for young people and to complete the inner courtyard of the museum.
"We are extremely grateful for the very generous gift," museum director Aud V. Tønnessen commented on the museum's official website.
"With this large and significant contribution, the Savings Bank Foundation DNB has ensured the implementation of the museum's educational programs and activities."
"This will enhance the museum's ability to become an attractive partner for schools across the country while also contributing to a more vibrant and dynamic museum experience for all our visitors."
The planned facilities will include multimedia experiences, hands-on workshops, and the opportunity to try out Viking-era crafts or work with finds from excavation sites in the courtyard.
The contribution will help the museum welcome up to 30,000 children of all ages to the museum for specially tailored educational experiences throughout the year.
- READ MORE: All you need to know about Viking ships
Renewed optimism surrounds the project, with hopes that the Museum of the Viking Age will be fully operational by 2027. Source: AART architects
Future looking brighter
However, Göran is also keen to stress that the work is far from over. "We still need funding to realize several of the functions that were cut in 2022."
"These include laboratories, workshops, conservation facilities, temporary exhibition spaces, and the museum park. We will continue our work to secure support in these areas."
Nevertheless, there is now renewed hope that the Museum of the Viking Age will be fully functional and ready to open by 2027. Indeed, this optimism was clear in the celebrations earlier this week as the final parts of the roof of the main building were laid.
The occasion was marked by a topping-out ceremony attended by construction staff and museum officials.
Through 5,400 artifacts, visitors will be able to explore all facets of the Viking Age, from seafaring techniques and warfare to agriculture, clothing, and cultural customs.
The new facility, which will incorporate the building of the original Viking Ship Museum, is expected to become not only a major tourist attraction for the Norwegian capital but also a vital place of learning, cutting-edge research, and preservation.
We get to provide readers with original coverage thanks to our loyal supporters. Do you enjoy our work? You can become a PATRON here or via our Patreon page. You'll get access to exclusive content and early access.
Feel free to reach out to discuss potential stories that may be in the public interest. You can reach us via email at [email protected] with the understanding that the information you provide might be used in our reporting and stories.
