About York - JORVIK Viking Centre FREE KIDS

At JORVIK Viking Centre you are standing on the site of one of the most famous and astounding discoveries in modern archaeology. Between the years 1976-81, archaeologists from York Archaeological Trust excavated on the site of an old sweet factory and revealed the houses, workshops and backyards of the Viking-Age city of Jorvik, as it stood 1,000 years ago. you see exactly what was found at Coppergate during the 5 1/2-yearlong excavation. Under your feet is a reconstruction of a section of the excavation-timber-framed and wattle houses, objects discarded by residents, and work in progress by the team of professional archaeologists who worked here. Take a look at the actual 1,000-year-old timbers and artefacts and find out how these fascinating objects were unearthed, conserved and researched.

Audio-visual presentations explain where the Vikings came from, how they travelled here, why they settled and how they lived, worked and traded with other civilizations across the world. Our Viking hosts will also help you to learn more.

By discovering Coppergate yourself you can start to piece together the jigsaw of Jorvik and find out how York Archaeological Trust was able to reconstruct the city right here on the site where it was first uncovered.

Step onboard your time capsule to travel through the backyards and houses to the bustling streets of Jorvik. Everything here is based on archaeological facts - from the layout of the houses, the working craftsmen, the language of the gossiping neighbours, to the smells of cooking and the cesspit!